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Florida Thoroughbred History Moments: Ocala Stud Shaped Local, National Auction Markets

Few Thoroughbred operations can lay claim to truly changing the bloodstock landscape, but Ocala Stud did just that as a pioneer of the 2-year-olds in training sale concept, now a staple of the auction calendar in Florida and beyond

Ocala Stud sold its first crop of juveniles in 1958, and it has maintained the tradition of selling its homebreds at age two in the years that followed. The Central Florida operation has developed into a prominent breeder, seller, and stallion station, with 15 stallions set to stand at Ocala Stud in 2021.

The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association has launched a digital campaign promoting the successful history of Florida-breds born and raised in the Sunshine State.

The series titled “Florida Thoroughbred History Moment” features an opening and closing image of an old-timey newsreel much like those featured in movie theaters in the 1940s. Along with the sound of the whirr of the newsreel, each video is narrated by the distinctive voice of Hugh Kelly giving an even more nostalgic feel. Based in Florida, Kelly lends his voice perfectly to the series.

Each 'Florida Thoroughbred History Moment' vignette highlights a significant achievement in Florida-bred history focusing on the people, the horses and the farms that have contributed to its success since the industry kicked off in earnest after Needles' 1956 Kentucky Derby win.

Check out the previous installments of Florida History Moments here:

Affirmed Enthralled Nation With Triple Crown Triumph

Derby Winner Unbridled's Presence Felt Today In North American Bloodlines

Silver Charm Flies The Florida Flag Around The World

Needles' Derby Triumph Sparks Florida's Thoroughbred Industry

Dr. Fager Goes So Fast He Gets A Speeding Ticket

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Ed Vaughan Makes The Move To The U.S. For Phoenix Thoroughbreds

Two months after sending out his last runner in Britain, Ed Vaughan has restarted his training career in the United States, where he will have the continued support of owners Phoenix Thoroughbreds.

Vaughan, 47, announced in July that he would be winding up his stable in Newmarket after 16 years, declaring that rising costs and declining prize money levels were making running a training business increasingly unviable.

The 47-year-old signed off when his final runner, Hackness Harry, won at Kempton – but, in an interview with The Owner Breeder, revealed he has set up a new base at Keeneland in Lexington. He hopes to have his first runners in the new year on the Tapeta all-weather surface at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky.

Among a team that could reach a dozen are three horses he was training for the controversial Phoenix Thoroughbreds team, who had separately announced they were quitting Britain amid intense media scrutiny over the organization's funding sources.

“Moving to the US had been on my mind for a long time,” Vaughan told Owner Breeder magazine. “I just needed to work the logistics out. Fortunately some horses that I trained in England have come over to Kentucky.

“It's obviously very exciting,” he went on. “It's a new chapter and it's like I'm starting all over again. I'm definitely not worried though. I've had good support from the right people and the move makes sense.

“With prize-money the way it is in Britain, it just became increasingly difficult to continue training. We'll be racing for some proper prize-money in Kentucky.”

Vaughan trained more than 200 winners in Britain, landing his biggest success this year when Dame Malliot won the Group 2 Princess Of Wales's Stakes in July.

His was one of 11 British stables to train for big-spending Phoenix, the self-styled “world's first regulated thoroughbred fund” which launched in 2017 with strings in the US and Australia as well as Europe.

However, by the time Vaughan handed in his licence, Phoenix had been barred from having runners in France and Britain over concerns about its funding which stemmed from allegations made in a New York court that CEO and founder Amer Abdulaziz was a key money-launderer for a fake $4 billion cryptocurrency scam. Abdulaziz has categorically denied the claims.

Phoenix said 3-year-old maiden War Cross, a $200,000 son of War Front, unraced Kingman filly Lady De Peron, a 275,000gns buy, and Miss Chess, owned by the affiliated Phoenix Ladies Syndicate, had been shipped to the U.S. from Newmarket. Other horses could follow.

“We are delighted that Ed will remain part of the Phoenix team,” Abdulaziz said. “He is an extremely talented trainer and valued advisor who we are sure will be a success in the US. It's doubly pleasing that we can give him some talented horses to work with that he already knows so well. We are very excited for Ed as he embarks on this next chapter of his career.”

This story originally appeared on Horse Racing Planet and is republished here with permission.

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‘He’s Never Let Me Down’: Exultant Chasing Repeat Victory In Hong Kong Vase

Exultant is already proven as one of the best stayers Hong Kong has ever produced but this Sunday (Dec. 13) at Sha Tin he has the chance to take his place in the history books by becoming the first locally-trained dual winner of the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m, about 1 1/2 miles).

And champion jockey Zac Purton is going into the HK$20 million (about US$2.58) staying test with an aura of positivity that yet another consistent effort from the five-time G1 winner will see him challenge for a sixth top-level success.

“You always go to the races with a great deal of confidence with Exultant – he's never let me down, so let's just hope that he can continue to give us his best,” Purton said.

The Teofilo gelding has finished inside the top three 23 times from 27 Hong Kong runs, including 11 wins and nine second placings. The last time he finished outside of the top three was over 700 days ago, two runs before his 2018 Hong Kong Vase success.

“He means a lot to me – stayers in Hong Kong are rare and hard to come by and he's certainly been our best stayer the last few years – I've had a good association with him and I've won some big races on him,” Purton said.

Purton has been in the plate for the bulk of Exultant's (126lb) runs, through his Four-Year-Old Classic Series campaign and each of his five wins at the top-level.

“He's never let me down, he's always there he always runs well and if he gets beat he gets beat because another horse has had a softer run or is better than him on the day, but he's so consistent – it's very hard to find a horse that's as consistent as him,” Purton said.

Even before export under the care of Michael Halford at Copper Beach Stables – the bay was consistent, with two wins at three followed by a third-placed effort in the 2017 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas (1600m) behind well-regarded Churchill and dual G1 Dubai World Cup (dirt, 2000m) winner Thunder Snow.

Sunday will see Tony Cruz's gritty 6-year-old face six rivals, including Chefano (126lb), Ho Ho Khan (126lb), Columbus County (126lb), Royal Julius (126lb), Playa Del Puente (126lb) and the Aidan O'Brien-trained Mogul (121lb).

The O'Brien-trained galloper captured the G1 Grand Prix de Paris (2400m) two starts ago over subsequent G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe runner-up In Swoop.

“Mogul looks hard to beat, so let's just hope I can get a good gate – this horse for whatever reason always seems to draw a bad gate, he's certainly due to draw a good gate and hopefully he just gets a nice run,” Purton said.

The Irish-bred galloper has had two runs back this term for two runner-up efforts, firstly the G3 Sa Sa Ladies' Purse Handicap (1800m) before close defeat to stablemate and leading LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) contender Furore.

“I thought it was a good effort, the pace of the race was a little bit stronger than I thought it would be and Time Warp put the pedal down further from home than what I thought was necessary, so it really made it hard for those horses up on the speed which is where I was,” the Australian ace said.

“Furore sat right on my tail the whole way and came passed me under a hold, so it was a little bit concerning and a little bit disappointing that he was able to go past me so easily.

“Because Exultant is known for his fighting heart and his strong will to win, so while it's probably a nice performance it's maybe just a shade below than the performance he put in last year,” Purton said.

But an added two furlongs this Sunday, mixed with two runs already this term combined with a slightly smaller field than usual, serves as a recipe that bodes well for the four-time champion jockey.

“Now we go into the Vase and step out at his preferred distance after having a couple of runs under his belt in a race that doesn't look as if it's as strong as it has been before, we don't have as many Europeans, we only have one French and we don't have the Japanese – it's certainly a winnable race,” Purton said.

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Tom Marquand Excited About International Jockeys’ Championship, Additional Rides In Hong Kong

Rising British star Tom Marquand will use vital experience gleaned on tight-turning tracks in England and Australia to offset a lack of familiarity with Happy Valley's famed contours when he tackles the LONGINES International Jockeys' Championship on Wednesday, Dec. 9.

Seeking to bookend a phenomenal season, the 22-year-old will partner Very Sweet Orange, Nunchuks, Surrealism and Wind N Grass in the HK$800,000 (about US$103,000) four-race contest and hopes he can share the limelight – and spoils – with partner and fellow jockey Hollie Doyle.

“Fingers crossed we can walk away with a winner or two apiece,” said Marquand, winner of G1 contests in England and Australia this year.

“Some of the tracks in Australia aren't too dissimilar (to Happy Valley) with the tightness and the ground being generally being a little bit quicker than in England.

“But we've got tight tracks in England like Chester. It's on another level to over here perhaps.

“Happy Valley is certainly a different track. It's a test of a jockey and a horse being such a sharp, almost speed-orientated track. So, while it will be a little bit different, very looking forward to tackling it with a great book of rides for both of us.”

Marquand revealed exposure to Hong Kong races via international broadcasts beamed into England provided the framework of his Happy Valley expectations.

“It's (Hong Kong racing) always on our TV and we're lucky to have that understanding of the way the races work, even from England,” Marquand, fresh from a double at Wolverhampton on Saturday, Dec. 5, said.

“(Wolverhampton is) not quite so glamorous as some of the days we've been lucky to have this year but, in all seriousness, it's massive coming into a day's racing like this having your confidence up.

“It's been a busy old year and it's easy to forget the good days I've had at smaller meetings, not just the days at Doncaster and Ascot, for example.”

A former champion apprentice, Marquand has already bettered his previous season-best haul of 136 winners with 141 to date – and he is not finished yet.

Apart from his four LONGINES International Jockeys' Championship mounts, he will also partner Red Majesty in the Class 4 France Handicap (1650m) and PPG (Privately Purchased Griffin) Donc Je Suis in the Class 4 Mauritius Handicap (1200m) at Happy Valley.

The Englishman will take three rides at Sha Tin on Sunday (Dec. 13).

“The Hong Kong Jockey Club has gone to great lengths to get us over so it seemed a shame to go home and not have an opportunity to ride at out Sha Tin as well,” he said.

“By the look of it, I've got three rides – none in the international races, all in the local races as such – but really looking to getting out there on Sunday as well.”

Doyle best's chance in the LONGINES International Jockeys' Championship is the David Hayes-trained Harmony N Blessed in the fourth leg of the series, a Class 3 contest over 1200m.

Hayes is confident the last-start debut winner can again contend.

“He's very professional and he did everything right at Sha Tin,” he said.

“He looks like he likes the Valley. I know he hasn't raced there but his trials have been excellent.

“You never know until they race, but he's a pretty straight-forward horse. He should be OK.

“He's probably eating better now than he was before the first run, so that's a good sign.

“It's a nice competitive race. Good step up, light weight so hopefully he can handle it.”

The dual champion trainer has full confidence in Doyle's ability.

“Her record overseas is too good to be concerned about having her on the horse. I think she'll do a good job,” he said.

Doyle's other jockey championship mounts are Happily Friends, Universal Go Go and Sunny Lad.

Wednesday's LONGINES International Jockeys' Championship meeting at Happy Valley starts at 6.30pm with the running of the Class 5 Australia Handicap (1650m).

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