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Nyquist Filly Tops OBS June Sale’s Second Session

Hip No. 543, a daughter of Nyquist consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, went to Sweetwater Trading Co., Agent for Rockingham Ranch, for $420,000 to top the second session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2021 June Sale of 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age.

The chestnut filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 at Friday's Under Tack session, is out of stakes winner Midnight Ballet, by Midnight Lute, a half sister to champion Jala Jala (MEX).

Hip No. 418, a daughter of Dialed In consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc, (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, was sold to Alistair Roden Bloodstock for $350,000. The dark bay or brown filly, who breezed an Under Tack quarter in :21 1/5 on Friday, is a half sister to graded stakes winning OBS graduate Anothertwistafate out of Imprecation, by First Defense.

Karl and Cathi Glassman went to $335,000 for Hip No. 506, a son of Hard Spun who worked an eighth in :10 3/5 at Friday's Under Tack Session. Consigned by Eisaman Equine, Agent, the bay colt is out of Lovisa, by Speightstown, a half sister to graded stakes placed stakes winner Poupee Flash.

Hip No. 319, a son of Quality Road consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, was sold to Steven W. Young, Agent, for $280,000. The bay colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat on Thursday, is a half brother to stakes placed Burger and Fries (FR) out of Figarie, by Bernardini, a daughter of champion Flanders.

Hip No. 447, a daughter of Frosted consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent, who turned in the Friday Under Tack session's fastest eighth in :9 4/5, was sold to John Ballantyne / N B S Stable for $250,000. The gray or roan filly is out of graded stakes winner Jody Slew, a half sister to stakes winner Cape of Bradford.

Larry Zap, Agent for Mike Mellen, went to $240,000 for Hip No. 623, a son of Ghostzapper consigned by Coastal Equine LLC (Jesse Hoppel), Agent, who turned in an Under Tack quarter on Saturday in :21 1/5. The bay colt is out of stakes winner Pacific Heat, by Unusual Heat, a half sister to graded stakes placed stakes winner Long Hot Summer.

Hip No. 487, a daughter of Liam's Map consigned by Coastal Equine LLC (Jesse Hoppel), Agent, was purchased for $230,000 by Mitch Weaver. The gray or roan filly, who turned in an Under Tack quarter in :21 2/5 on Friday, is out of Let It Snow, by Tapit, a half sister to stakes winner Eagle Orb.

Hip No. 596, a son of Klimt consigned by Scanlon Training & Sales, Agent, was sold to James Divito, Agent, for $225,000. The bay colt, who worked an eighth in :10 1/5 at Saturday's Under Tack session, is a half brother to graded stakes placed stakes winning OBS graduate Mo d'Amour out of Neverthesame, by Scat Daddy.

Oracle Bloodstock, Agent went to $220,000 for Hip No. 413, a daughter of Practical Joke consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent. The chestnut filly, a half sister to graded stakes placed stakes winner American Sugar out of I Love America, by Quiet American, breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 at Friday's Under Tack session.

For the session, 191 horses grossed $8,149,600, compared with 173 selling for a total of $4,357,800 at last year's second session. The average was $42,668 up 69.4 percent compared with $25,190 a year ago, while the median price was $17,000, up 38.5 percent compared to $13,000 in 2021. The buyback percentage was 22 percent; it was 18.8 percent last year.

The June Sale concludes Friday, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Hip No.'s 633 – 927 will be offered.

To view the session's full results, click here.

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Fox Hill Farm’s Rick Porter Dies At Age 80

It is with tremendous sadness that Fox Hill Farm informs the Thoroughbred industry of the passing of owner Rick Porter at the age of 80.

Rick had battled cancer in various forms for over two decades. The past six years had been particularly taxing, beating one supposed terminal cancer only to eventually succumb to the toll the fight took on him.

Horse racing was one of Rick's passions, and he was very proud of his stable's accomplishments. His Fox Hill Farm campaigned 20 graded stakes horses and multiple champions led by Havre de Grace, Songbird, Hard Spun, Omaha Beach, and Kodiak Kowboy.

Equally noteworthy as his list of outstanding horses, however, was his outstanding stewardship over his stable. His horses' well-being was always his top priority over any trophy. He believed in transparency, sharing vet reports publicly and being open with injuries and considerations regarding stable management. He encouraged fan interaction, making them feel part of the team. He welcomed the challenge of the best meeting the best on the track, resulting in some of the most memorable match-ups of the past decades. His empathy for horses in need led to the founding of the National Thoroughbred Welfare Organization which has rehomed over 250 at-risk horses in the past few years. His Fox Hill Farm became synonymous with excellence and ethical ownership.

As wonderful as Rick's journey was in racing, it was his journey through life with his beloved Betsy that was all-important to him. Married 59 years, they raised two sons Cory and Scott and a daughter Tracey, all as beautiful in spirit as the examples they had in their parents.

Racing has lost an important owner, but for all of us who knew Rick – his kindness, ethics, loyalty, wisdom, generosity, humility, and humor – we have lost an exceptional human being and a part of our hearts.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Victoria Keith

Fox Hill Farm

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Silver State May Bring Five-Race Win Streak To Met Mile On Belmont Stakes Card

While Grade 1 Preakness Stakes runner-up Midnight Bourbon will likely take his show on the road, red-hot Silver State could give Winchell Thoroughbreds and trainer Steve Asmussen noteworthy representation on Belmont Stakes Day in the Grade 1, $1 million Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Silver State would bring a five-race win streak to New York for the Met Mile for Winchell and Asmussen. Owned by Winchell in partnership with Willis Horton Racing, the 4-year-old Hard Spun colt was given an extended break following a run in the series of Kentucky Derby prep races at Fair Grounds Race Course last year and has done no wrong since returning to action.

Following two allowance triumphs at seven furlongs at Keeneland and Churchill Downs, Silver State began building a prominent resume with a trio of stakes victories at Oaklawn Park this winter, capturing the Fifth Season on January 23, the Essex on March 13, and the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on April 17.

“We've got the Met Mile under consideration,” said David Fiske bloodstock and racing adviser for Winchell Thoroughbreds. “He went seven-eighths in 1:21 and some change when he won at Churchill, so we feel that anything around seven-eighths to a mile and an eighth would be within his ability.”

Should he make the trip to New York for the Met Mile, Silver State would aim to give Asmussen his third victory in the prestigious race. He previously won back-to-back editions with Bee Jersey [2018] and Mitole [2019].

Fiske added that dual graded stakes-placed Whiskey Double could ship to Belmont Park later in the summer for the Grade 3, $250,000 Dwyer on July 5 if performs well in a Thursday allowance race at Churchill Downs. The son of Into Mischief was second in the Grade 3 Bay Shore at Aqueduct before finishing third to stable mate Jackie's Warrior in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs.

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‘We’ve Always Loved His Talent’: Silver State Turning To Gold For Asmussen

Two of the best horses developed by Steve Asmussen for Winchell Thoroughbreds came to the Hall of Fame trainer on the advice of David Lambert. Silver State hasn't reached championship status yet, but the 4-year-old son of Hard Spun continued his climb toward the top of the country's older two-turn division with a half-length victory in the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) last Saturday at Oaklawn under Ricardo Santana Jr.

The victory was the fifth consecutive for Silver State, who became the first horse to win the Oaklawn Handicap – Oaklawn's biggest prize for older two-turn runners – $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes at 1 mile and the $500,000 Essex Handicap at 1 1/16 miles. The latter two races, Jan. 23 and March 13, respectively, were major local steppingstones to the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap.

Asmussen said on the recommendation of Lambert, a noted equine physiologist, Winchell Thoroughbreds (Ron and Joan Winchell) purchased Silver State for $450,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sales. Lambert, founder and president of Equine Analysis Systems in Midway, Ky., also steered the Winchells toward privately purchasing half-interest in Gun Runner and retaining homebred Untapable to race. Both became Eclipse Award winners.

Now, silver is turning to gold for the Winchells, who campaign Silver State with prominent Arkansas breeder/owner Willis Horton.

“It's a horse the Hortons and Winchells purchased on Dr. Lambert's advice, that has continued to develop and get better,” Asmussen said. “We've always loved his talent level.”

Silver State earned a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 101, equaling a career high, for his Oaklawn Handicap victory. After falling off the Kentucky Derby trail following a seventh-place finish in the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) in March 2020 at Fair Grounds, Silver State returned with two sharp allowance victories last fall in Kentucky before emerging as Oaklawn's top older two-turn runner this year. His Beyer Speed Figures, a numerical representation of performance, have ranged from 97 to 101, during the winning streak. Asmussen calls Silver State, “a gorgeous animal” who needed time to develop because he's “massive in size.”

“This race is significant enough,” Asmussen said. “He'll get the future we were hoping for, and this proves it.”

Asmussen said next-race plans are pending for Silver State, who won for the sixth time in 10 lifetime starts. Silver State ($1,230,094) became a millionaire after collecting the $600,000 winning check.

It was the first Oaklawn Handicap victory for Asmussen and the Winchells and the second for Horton, who also won the race in 2014 with champion Will Take Charge. Horton turned 81 last Saturday.

“The Hortons owning half this horse with the Winchells and how important Oaklawn is to them, the Hortons are to Oaklawn, what a great birthday present for him today,” Asmussen said.

The Oaklawn Handicap was Asmussen's record 95th Oaklawn stakes victory. Asmussen also won the $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares in 2015 with Untapable and the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) for older horses in 2017 with Gun Runner. Untapable won an Eclipse Award as the country's champion 3-year-old filly of 2014. Gun Runner captured two Eclipse Awards (Horse of the Year and older dirt male) in 2017.

Asmussen has a meet-high 49 victories this year as he seeks his record-tying 11th Oaklawn training title. The Oaklawn Handicap pushed his purse earnings at the meet to more than $5 million. He enters the final eight racing days at $5,072,636 and with a chance to break his single-season Oaklawn record ($5,644,609), set in 2019.

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