I will be looking to the $1 million Woodbine Mile which will be contested by a field of 8 over the turf course at Woodbine. Last year’s Woodbine Mile was a great race. El Tormenta was able to get by Got Stormy right at the finish line to complete the upset at 44-1. I don’t […]
The post USA Preview – Woodbine Mile Tips appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN.
Keeneland's fourth session of the September Yearling Sale on Thursday recorded active commerce among a number of the industry's major buyers and featured the sale of an Into Mischief colt to Peter Leidel for $1 million.
Keeneland sold 195 yearlings during today's session for $34,507,000, for an average of $193,554 and a median of $160,000. Cumulatively, 589 horses have grossed $160,583,000, for an average of $272,637 and a median of $200,000.
With the top-priced yearling on Thursday, a total of 15 horses have sold for $1 million or more.
“Very exciting finish today,” Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell said. “To have three individuals bidding all the way to the million-dollar mark was very exciting. There was a lot of depth to the market. As we have said before, it is very selective. The people who should be here and looking at the horses and making the decisions are here, and we are very happy that they are committed to this industry.”
The session topper, a half-brother to stakes winner Cambria, is out of Grade 2 winner Teen Pauline, by Tapit. He was consigned by Warrendale Sales, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised.
“He is a lovely horse – ticked all the boxes as they say. Has a great walk,” said Hunter Simms, Partner and Director of Bloodstock Services for Warrendale. “The Into Mischiefs have been on fire at this sale and on the race track. Stonestreet did a nice job prepping him, and he showed himself well at the barn. He is a classy animal. Stonestreet has been very supportive of us over the years, and we greatly appreciate it. We have had good success for them.”
Donato Lanni, agent for SF/Starlight/Madaket, paid $775,000 for a colt by Quality Road consigned by Candy Meadows Sales, agent. The colt is out of Sustainable, a stakes-placed daughter of Forestry who is a half-sister to stakes winner Culotte, and is from the family of Grade 1 winner Famous Digger.
“He's a Quality Road – a great stallion,” Tom Ryan of SF said. “We're just starting to see the cream rising to the top now with him. Just think of what he's accomplished already; the future's so bright for him.”
“We're delighted,” Candy Meadows Senior Vice President and COO Matt Lyons said. “He's a lovely horse and a homebred for the farm. We didn't have any horses in Book 1 so this is our first group here. We've waited all day for him, and there were some very good judges of horseflesh on him.
“You have groups looking to buy two-turn Derby-type horses, and there are a lot of people looking for that type of horse,” Lyons added. “When they all land on the same one, they can bring an exceptional price. The group that bought him obviously know how to win the big races so that's great for us having the mare at home and having siblings coming. He'll be trained by Mr. (Bob) Baffert, and he knows how to win the big races, too.”
Lanni, agent for SF/Starlight/Madaket, was the session's leading buyer, acquiring five horses for $1,660,000.
“It's been a busy sale for us,” Ryan said. “Keeneland assembled a great group of horses here, and good horses are hard to buy.”
Warrendale, agent for Sandra Sexton and Silver Fern Farm, sold the session-topping filly, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Hog Creek Hustle, to Solis/Litt for $725,000. The daughter of Constitution out of the Candy Ride mare Candy Fortune also is a half-sister to stakes winner Majestic Dunhill.
“She was just beautiful,” Warrendale owner Kitty Taylor said. “I sold her for some long-standing clients of mine who are very dear friends, Sandra Sexton and Silver Fern Farm. We sold Hog Creek Hustle and Majestic Dunhill. (This filly) was vetted so much and handled it so well. She went to a great place with LNJ Foxwoods. Alex (Solis) and Jason (Litt) bought her for them.”
Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Shadwell Estate Company Ltd. paid $675,000 for a colt by Into Mischief who is a half-brother to champion Runhappy. He was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised.
“Very nice colt,” said Rick Nichols, Vice President and General Manager of Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Farm in Lexington. “Good conformation and looks like he has a really good head on his shoulders. I thought I might have to go a little bit more (on the price). We have a really good Into Mischief 2-year-old (Mutasaabeq), who was third in (the Runhappy Hopeful-G1 at Saratoga on Sept. 7.)”
Mark Taylor, Taylor Made's Vice President of Marketing and Public Sales Operations, was pleased with the sale of the colt.
“We met with the Stonestreet team, and they decided to put this horse in Book 2,” Taylor said. “They thought he might stand out a little more here, and I think he did. He was head and shoulders above a lot of the other horses we had in this book, and the big buyers found him.”
Shadwell also paid $500,000 for another yearling consigned by Taylor Made, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised. He was the Curlin colt who is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Girvin and Grade 3 winner Cocked and Loaded. His dam is Catch the Moon, by Malibu Moon.
West Bloodstock, agent for Robert and Lawana Low, purchased a Malibu Moon colt for $610,000. Consigned by KatieRich Farms, he is out of the Grade 2-placed Tiznow mare Fantasy of Flight.
Spendthrift Farm and MyRacehorse.com, co-owners of recent Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Authentic, spent $600,000 on a colt by Authentic's sire, Into Mischief, who was consigned by Roderick Wachman's Kingswood Farm, agent. A full brother to Grade 3 winner One Liner, he is out of the winning Cherokee Run mare Cayala.
Into Mischief, the September Sale's leading sire with sales of $23,280,000 for 45 yearlings, stands at Spendthrift.
“There are many nice (Into Mischief) yearlings out here,” Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey said. “They have always been well received in the market and there has definitely been a bump from the Derby result. (Into Mischief) continues to amaze us, and if there was anyone in the industry that was a non-believer, I think they're all gone.”
Paramount Sales, agent, led all consignors on Thursday by selling 18 horses for $3,572,000.
The September Sale continues Friday with the start of the three-day Book 3. The sale runs through Sept. 25, and all remaining sessions begin at 10 a.m.
The post $1-Million Into Mischief Colt Tops Thursday At Keeneland September Yearling Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
A photo in a tweet that circulated Thursday brought into question the enforcement of mask-wearing and social-distancing policies at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, leading Keeneland to issue a statement to Janet Patton of the Lexington Herald-Leader.
The photo, taken by bloodstock agent Michael Hernon and since deleted, displayed a group of over 20 individuals inspecting and showing horses during an “Express Lane” event outside a Taylor Made Sales Agency barn, in which a group of upcoming offerings are paraded in front of prospective buyers all at once to limit the hassle and potential contact of individual showings. Only one or two of the people in photo whose faces are visible are properly wearing masks, a couple others have their masks around their chins, and the rest do not have any visible face covering on or around them.
Patton, a veteran journalist whose coverage has included the business of the Thoroughbred industry, retweeted the image with a comment tagging Keeneland that asked: “How does this square with the protocols?”
Per Keeneland's COVID-19 safety policy for the sale: “All participants in the September Sale are required to wear a face covering and maintain social distancing of at least six feet at all times on the grounds – both indoors and outdoors.”
Fasig-Tipton also had a policy requiring masks at all times while on the property for the recent Selected Yearlings Showcase Sale, and photos from the sale revealed mixed success in mask enforcement, as well.
Buyers, owners, and bloodstock agents were not required to produce a negative COVID-19 test to gain entry to the property for either sale. That group is required to complete a health questionnaire prior to the sale, and daily temperature checks are taken. Negative tests were required for all others within 10 days of entry, including consignors and their crews, auction company staff, veterinarians, farriers, and media.
After the Keeneland photo gained some traction on social media, Patton contacted the company, which issued the following statement:
“Keeneland takes the health and safety of our employees and our sale participants very seriously, and we have addressed the issue pictured in the tweet with those involved. We remain vigilant in enforcing compliance with the COVID-19 protocols established to ensure that we, along with our consignors and buyers, are able to conduct the September Yearling Sale in a safe and responsible manner. Those protocols require that every person wears a mask at all times and maintains social distance. Please be assured that we continue to monitor our grounds to promote responsible behavior across the Keeneland campus.”
Keeneland just sent me this about the yearling photo with no masks: ““Keeneland takes the health and safety of our employees and our sale participants very seriously, and we have addressed the issue pictured in the tweet with those involved. (part 1) …
— Janet 'my mask protects you, yours me' Patton (@janetpattonhl) September 17, 2020
“Those protocols require that every person wears a mask at all times and maintains social distance. Please be assured that we continue to monitor our grounds to promote responsible behavior across the Keeneland campus.”
— Janet 'my mask protects you, yours me' Patton (@janetpattonhl) September 17, 2020
The post Maskless Photo Draws COVID-19 Compliance Into Question At Keeneland September Yearling Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Turf Paradise is proposing to host a live meet next year that will run Jan. 2 through May 1, according to a letter from Turf Paradise general manager, Vince Francia, to the Arizona horsemen dated Thursday.
Turf Paradise had previously announced that it had cancelled its 2020-2021 race meet due to health fears associated with operating a live meet during a global pandemic.
For the proposed meet to go ahead, however, Turf Paradise management listed in the letter a number of caveats, namely that $2.1 million of disputed purse account monies be returned to Turf Paradise, and that the Arizona horsemen form a new representative organization or for the current Arizona Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (AZHBPA) board members and their executive director to resign.
These purse account funds have been the latest bone of contention in a long-running dispute between Arizona horsemen and management of Turf Paradise. Francia previously told the TDN that these funds contractually belong to Turf Paradise for the horsemen that race there.
The horsemen, however, argue that they ultimately wield control over the purse account, as per a prior arbitrated settlement. Indeed, earlier this week a widely circulated email stated that the AZHBPA has secured a good chunk of this money and placed it into a trust to pay purses if and when racing resumes elsewhere.
But Thursday’s letter states that the “first condition” for the proposed meet to go ahead at Turf Paradise is that the “$2.1 million” that was transferred be returned to the horsemen’s purse account at Turf Paradise.
“That money does not belong to the AZBBPA or to Turf Paradise,” the letter states. “It belongs to the horsemen who are racing live at Turf. Without that money being transferred back into the horsemen’s purse account, Turf would not be able to host the proposed race meet. It has been publically stated by AZHBPA President Bob Hutton that, ‘they [the funds] will be used only for purse money for whatever track that wants to run a live meet!'”
The “second condition” of a meet at Turf Paradise is that the Arizona horsemen form a new group that represents a “majority of horsemen at Turf Paradise,” and represent the horsemen’s interests in live racing and simulcasting at Turf Paradise. According to the letter, the new group would have to elect a board of directors, including a president and officers, and create by-laws.
The letter also states, however, that another “quicker way” to accomplish this goal would be for the current AZHBPA board members and their executive director to resign their positions, “making room” for a new board and executive director.
As per the letter: “Recently the AZHBPA and Turf Paradise agreed to terminate the current contract between us. A new contract will be needed between Turf Paradise and the new horsemen’s group.
“Suffice it is to say, both Turf and the AZHBPA have tried to resolve their differences. But with the transfer of Turf Paradise horsemen’s purse money into an account by the AZHBPA–without advising Turf management–there is no point in further dialogue or negotiations between the two of us.
“Time is of the essence. There is a lot that Turf Paradise and the horsemen need to do so that we can open racing on Jan. 2. This also includes Racing Commission approval of the proposed live dates. To get this done everyone is going to have to move quickly.”
National HBPA president Leroy Gessmann re-stated the AZHBPA’s position that it ultimately controls the purse account, and that the money is intended for whatever facility conducts a live race meet in Arizona.
“If Turf Paradise wants to run a live meet, all they’ve got to do is apply for live dates, meet the safety standards set forth by the commission, and we will provide them with the purse money,” said Gessman.
When asked about the second condition in the letter–the formation of a new horsemen’s group–Gessman responded: “I don’t know what to say about that-the HBPA is the one that holds the purse money.”
The HBPA is also the horsemen’s recognized group, he added, “not only at Turf Paradise but according to the state.”
Gessman also cast doubts over the sincerity of the proposed race-dates in the letter. “All [Turf Paradise owner, Jerry Simms] is trying to do is keep his OTB system intact,” said Gessman. “He’s not trying to run a race meet.”
According to Francia, however, the change in heart concerning the operation of a live race meet this ensuing winter has been brought about by concerns for the Arizona horsemen.
“The horsemen have wanted and needed a place to race during the winter,” he said. “The pandemic hasn’t gone away–
we’re well aware of that, and we’re going to have to deal with that.”
When asked about his request for the horsemen to form a new group to represent the horsemen’s interests, Francia said that it’s an effort to break the intransigence in ongoing negotiations between the two entities.
“Personally, I’ve known Mr. Simms for 20 years–I’m his good friend as well as his employee,” said Francia. “I am just exhausted and disheartened by this negative energy that has been directed towards him by this board.”
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