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Nashville Under Consideration for Breeders’ Cup Sprint

WinStar Farm and China Horse Club’s ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Nashville (Speightstown), who took his record to two-for-two with a towering allowance success at Keeneland Oct. 10, could make his next start in the Nov. 7 GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint over the same track and distance, WinStar General Manager David Hanley said Monday.

“It’s a bit too early for a final decision, but I would say the nothing has been ruled out at this point,” Hanley said. “I haven’t discussed it with [WinStar President/CEO and Racing Manager] Elliott [Walden] or [trainer] Steve [Asmussen] and they will be the ones to decide.”

A $460,000 Keeneland September purchase in 2018, Nashville was sent off as the prohibitive odds-on favorite in a sloppy Saratoga maiden Sept. 2 and romped home by 11 1/2 lengths, covering 6 1/2 furlongs in a spectacular 1:14.48 (video). The 1-2 chalk in a non-two-lifetime allowance in Lexington over the past weekend, Nashville led past every pole en route to a 9 3/4-length score (video). Hanley said Nashville has emerged unscathed from the effort.

“He seems to have come out of the race just fine, none the worse for wear,” he said. “He ran such a big race first time out at Saratoga, but you weren’t sure that he just didn’t run so big because of the slop. I wouldn’t say we expected to see the kind of performance he put up the other day, but you sure hope he could reproduce the debut and it was nice to see him do it on a fast track.”

Hanley explained that Nashville had his fair share of issues growing up.

“He had a few little setbacks and we just decided to give him some time,” he said. “There was nothing major that was wrong with him, he had some bone bruising and he tended to be a little headstrong, so we gave him the time and it looks like it’s paying off.”

Hanley indicated that if they decide against a run in the Sprint, Nashville could make an appearance in one of the undercard stakes on Breeders’ Cup weekend as a steppingstone to the GI Malibu S. at Santa Anita in late December. Nashville is cataloged as a racing or stallion prospect for the Keeneland November Sale, but Hanley said it is unlikely he’ll go through the ring.

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Florida Thoroughbred History Moments: Needles’ Derby Triumph Sparks Florida’s Thoroughbred Industry

Needles was the first Florida-bred to win the Kentucky Derby in 1956. His milestone led to a flood of tourists to see the champion in the rolling hills of Central Florida.

Visitors found limestone-rich pastures and spring-fed aquifers under moss-draped live oak trees good for growing strong horses, which led to an explosion of farms in the county. More than 750 Thoroughbred farms dot Marion County's landscape today along with more than 38,000 Thoroughbreds.

Needles was inducted into the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce for his achievement. Four more Thoroughbreds would join him before the national Chamber said, “No more horses, only humans can create an economic impact.” The horse world would disagree to the tune of $2.3 billion annual economic impact, 21,000 jobs and preservation of 195,000 acres in the county thanks to equines.

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.

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Thoroughbred Charities Of America Appoints Five New Members To Board Of Directors

Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) announced today the appointment of Leah O'Meara, Andy Hils, Erik Johnson, Marshall Gramm, and Marette Farrell to its Board of Directors.

“We are delighted to welcome these wonderful people to the TCA board,” said Mike McMahon, president of the TCA. “Our board is committed to carrying on the good work started by our founders over 30 years ago. These new board members recognize that service for the common good is rewarding beyond measure. As a volunteer board, each of us works tirelessly for horses and horse people who need help. In 2020, we distributed over $1 million to successful grant applicants and through our Horses First emergency fund.”

Leah O'Meara is a native of Lafayette, La., and moved to Kentucky to attend Midway College. During college she worked for Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and later in veterinary pharmaceutical sales. Currently, she works for her family's Stonehaven Steadings in Versailles, Ky. and resides on the farm with her husband and children. Notable Stonehaven Steadings-breds include Shanghai Bobby, Daredevil, Hour Glass, and Olive Branch.

Erik Johnson is a 13-year National Hockey League veteran for the Colorado Avalanche. A native of Bloomington, Minn., Johnson won a silver medal for Team USA at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, BC. He became involved in racing in 2016 and has campaigned under his ERJ Racing banner multiple Grade 1 winner Bowies Hero as well as graded stakes winners Comical, Shane's Girlfriend, Munny Spunt, and Lazy Daisy.

Andy Hils is a banker in the Lexington office of Limestone Bank. Hils is a senior vice president with 25 years of commercial lending experience primarily in the equine industry, agricultural industry, as well as commercial real estate and manufacturing sectors. Hils has been an owner in various Standardbred and Thoroughbred racing syndicates over the years and currently serves on the Finance Committee for the Thoroughbred Club of America. He also serves on the Resources Education and Assistance Community Housing board.

Marette Farrell grew up on a stud farm in Ireland and pinhooked two-year-olds to help pay for college. After graduation she went on to work for trainers in Dubai, France, Australia, and the U.S. In 2008, she formed her own bloodstock agency where she currently works in an advisory capacity for long-term clients. Farrell helped purchase and mate the dam of Belmont Stakes winner Creator and also advised in the purchase of Storm the Court and many other Grade I winners.

Marshall Gramm grew up in Washington, D.C. and became involved in horseracing because of the statistical and problem-solving aspects of betting. Gramm is an Economics Ph.D. and professor at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn. He is an avid bettor and has qualified for the National Handicapping Championships six times finishing ninth in 2019 and fifth at the Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge in 2018. Gramm and partner Clay Sanders co-founded Ten Strike Racing in 2016 and currently have more than 50 horses in training.

The five newly elected board members join current board members Bob Beck, Bing Bush, Lesley Campion, Bob Edwards, Terry Finley, Lesley Howard (treasurer), Davant Latham (secretary), Brant Laue, Nathan McCauley (vice president), Mike McMahon (president), Jaime Roth, and Anna Seitz.

Gretchen Jackson, Ellen Moelis, Herb Moelis, and Dan Rosenberg are directors emeriti.

Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) was formed in 1990 to raise and distribute funds to charities in the Thoroughbred industry that provide a better life for Thoroughbreds, both during and after their racing careers, by supporting qualified repurposing and retirement organizations and by helping the people who care for them. In 2020, TCA granted over $1 million to 70 charities working within Thoroughbred retraining, rehoming and retirement; backstretch and farm worker services, research and equine-assisted therapy. Over the last 30 years, TCA has granted more than $24 million to more than 200 charities that successfully meet the criteria set forth in its annual grant application. TCA also administers the Horses First Fund, founded by LNJ Foxwoods in 2016, to assist Thoroughbreds in need of emergency aid. TCA is the charitable arm of the Thoroughbred Owner and Breeders Association (TOBA). More information can be found at tca.org.

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Magical Set To Defend Her Title In Saturday’s QIPCO Champion Stakes

The £750,000 (approximately US$885,866) QIPCO Champion Stakes held on Saturday, Oct. 17, will be the richest race in Great Britain this year and looks set to be the race of the season with Magical and Addeybb, who dominated the finish of last year's renewal, renewing old rivalries again.

Magical prevailed by three-quarters of a length 12 months ago, after which her trainer Aidan O'Brien intimated she had run her final race.

However, the daughter of Galileo was kept in training and the decision has been handsomely rewarded, with the mare chalking up three more Group 1 victories (taking her overall haul to seven) and probably running as well as she's ever done when getting the better of Ghaiyyath, the world's highest-rated turf horse, to win a second Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown last time.

She could be joined in the line-up for the mile-and-a-quarter showpiece by star stablemates Serpentine, this year's Investec Derby winner, plus Mogul, winner of the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris, not to mention last year's Juddmonte International winner Japan, and Sovereign, winner of last year's Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

Addeybb has not rested on his laurels, either, chalking up two Group 1 victories in Australia in the spring before finishing runner-up in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot. He swiftly got back to winning ways in a Listed race at Ayr last time.

Standing in the way of the O'Brien contingent and Addeybb are two outstanding candidates trained by John Gosden in Mishriff, the Prix Du Jockey Club victor, and Lord North, emphatic winner of the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

Mishriff followed up his French Classic success by landing a Group 2 contest at Deauville, while Lord North was third behind Ghaiyyath and Magical in the Juddmonte International at York on his latest start.

Another fascinating runner among the home team is the William Muir-trained Pyledriver, who drops half a mile in distance after being beaten just over a length into third in the Pertemps St Leger at Doncaster last time. His exploits earlier in the season included emphatic wins in the King Edward VII Stakes, at Royal Ascot, and Sky Bet Great Voltigeur, at York.

Muir is delighted by the well-being of his stable flagbearer and is relishing dropping him back in distance. The trainer, seeking a first Group 1 win after 29 years with a licence, said: “He's getting stronger and is starting to retain his weight easier. His work has been good, the same as ever, and I'm very confident I've still got him at his best.

“I think if it hadn't been for this type of year, we would probably not run him over a mile and a six in the St Leger. You can't be dogmatic and say he didn't stay because he ground it out, but that was his class. He wasn't as effective because we took his gears and speed away from him. Martin [Dwyer] was sitting, waiting and having to hold him on to him when he wanted to kick.

“I'm not worried about the ground and the trip won't be a problem. Straight after he won the Voltigeur, the jockey went on TV and said he had the pace to win a Group 1 over a mile and a quarter.”

Pyledriver will be staying in training next year. Muir said: “We've got loads to look forward to with this horse and, no matter what else, the boys [the trio who own the horse] have had a fantastic time. We've enjoyed every minute of it and we've got next year and the year after with him, when we will be looking at the big races all around the world.”

Cirrus Des Aigles (2011) and Almanzor (2016) have been French-trained winners of the QIPCO Champion Stakes in the past decade and Skalleti will attempt to again take the prize across the Channel.

The 5-year-old grey, trained by Jerome Reynier, has won 12 of his 15 races and scooped the Group 2 Qatar Prix Dollar for a second time at Longchamp this month. Before that, he had mastered Sottsass, the subsequent Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, in a Group 3 contest at Deauville.

Other possibles among the 16 entries include three-time Group 1 winner Benbatl, who is also engaged in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO).

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