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New York-Bred 2021 Divisional Championship Nominees Announced

New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB) is pleased to announce the nominees for the New York-bred divisional champions of 2021. A panel of New York Turf writers, broadcasters, handicappers, racing analysts and photographers will vote on the winners of each division and the 2021 New York-bred Horse of the Year.

The 2020 New York-bred divisional champions and New York-bred Horse of the Year will be unveiled this summer during the historic Saratoga Race Course meeting. Also to be honored with 2021 awards will be Broodmare of the Year, Champion Trainer, Champion Jockey and Outstanding Breeder.

A list of the 2021 New York-bred divisional championship nominees by category follows.

Champion 2-Year-Old Male
Adios Asher
Coinage
Dakota Gold
Geno
Rebel Empire
Run Curtis Run
Senbei
Shipsational

Champion 2-Year-Old Filly
Classy Edition
Curly Girl
Derrynane
Howdyoumakeurmoney
Miss Alacrity
November Rein
Shesawildjoker
Venti Valentine
Yo Cuz

Champion 3-Year-Old Male
Americanrevolution
Excellent Timing
Hush of a Storm
It's a Gamble
Lobsta
Nicky the Vest
Ocala Dream
Perfect Munnings
River Dog
The King Cheek

Champion 3-Year-Old Filly
A Bit o'Irish Sass
A Life That's Good
Bank Sting
Betsy Blue
Byhubbyhellomoney
Make Mischief
Secret Love
Sport Model

Champion Older Dirt Male
Bankit
Captain Bombastic
Mr. Buff
Ny Traffic
Our Last Buck
Sea Foam

Champion Older Dirt Female
Dancing Kiki
Espresso Shot
Ice Princess
Maiden Beauty
Mrs. Orb
Sharp Starr

Champion Turf Male
Battle Station
City Man
Cross Border
Rinaldi
Somelikeithotbrown
Step Dancer

Champion Turf Female
Classic Lady
Giacosa
Myhartblongstodady
Robin Sparkles
Runaway Rumour
Sport Model
Time Limit

Champion Male Sprinter
Bank On Shea
Battle Station
Foolish Ghost
Jemography
My Boy Tate
Ny Traffic
Our Last Buck

Champion Female Sprinter
Awesome Debate
Espresso Shot
Miss Jimmy
Mrs. Orb
Sadie Lady
The Important One
Time Limit

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Breeze Easy Buys Argentine Star Far Away Love

In a deal organized by Chris Baccari, the Breeze Easy LLC of Sam Ross and Mike Hall have purchased Far Away Love, one of the leading fillies of the current 3-year-old crop in Argentina.

In her most recent start, Far Away Love took third in the Group 1 Gran Premio Seleccion-Argentine Oaks over ten furlongs on dirt at Palermo, on Oct. 9, after disputing the lead through a six furlong fraction of 1:09.26

The Gran Premio Seleccion was just the third start of Far Away Love's career. She debuted at Palermo on Aug. 14, in a six-furlong maiden event, which she took by five lengths. Far Away Love returned a month later for the G2 Clasico Francisco J. Beazley over nine furlongs. Leading throughout, she scored by five lengths from Super Bijou, who was only beaten a neck in the Seleccion, running a spectacular 1:47.02.

Far Away Love comes from an Argentine shuttle crop sired by Violence, who in addition to North American Grade 1 winners Volatile, No Parole and Dr. Schivel, and current undefeated classic prospect Newgrange, has sired Argentine Group 1 winners Fiel Amigo and Dandy Del Barrio, both successful at the “Estrellas” meeting, Argentina's equivalent to the Breeders' Cup.

Far Away Love's dam, the Not For Sale mare, Far Away Eyes, was a winner in Argentina, and is a sister to Blues For Sale. A three-time group stakes winner in her native country, Blues For Sale is dam of Blue Prize, who captured the G1 Gran Premio Seleccion before coming to the U.S., where her successes included back-to-back scores in the G1 Spinster Stakes, and a victory over the year's champion older mare, Midnight Bisou, in the Breeders' Cup Distaff. Three days after her Breeders' Cup win, Blue Prize topped the Fasig-Tipton November Sales, falling to a bid of $5 million from OXO Equine. Blue Prize's half-sister, Blue Stripe, captured the G1 Gran Premio Criadores, and is now in training at Santa Anita.

In addition to Blues For Sale, Far Away Eyes is also a sister to Cure For Sale, a listed winner in Argentina, and a Keeneland allowance winner, and multiple graded placed while racing in the U.S.

Key Cure, the second dam of Far Away Love, is a daughter of Cure the Blues, who was a five time winner in the U.S. before being exported to Argentina. She descends from the Ladies Handicap heroine, Sea Saga, ancestress of 11 Grade 1 winners, also including General Challenge, Notable Career, Evening Jewel, Denman's Call and A Shin Hikari, as well Southern Halo, multiple leading sire in Argentina, and responsible for More Than Ready during his time in the U.S.

Said Breeze Easy managing partner Mike Hall: “We watched film of Far Away Love's races, and were very impressed by the raw talent she's shown right from the start of her career. She's very fast and can clearly carry that speed. She is also lightly-raced, and has the potential to keep improving. It was appealing that she was by an up-and-coming U.S. sire, and so closely related to Blue Prize, which gives her a pedigree page that would be recognized anywhere in the world. We're very excited for her racing career in the U.S., and think she'll make a tremendous broodmare down the line.”

A 4-year-old of 2022 by Northern Hemisphere time, Far Away Love arrived in the U.S. on Feb. 5, and after completing quarantine, she will acclimatize at a training center in Florida, before commencing her U.S. racing career.

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Kela’s Turn Named Iowa’s 2021 Horse Of The Year

Loretta McClintock's homebred Kela's Turn earned double honors from the Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association for her accomplishments at Prairie Meadows in 2021.

The talented daughter of Kela – Lauren's Turn (Lion Heart) was recognized as the 2021 ITBOA Horse of the Year and the champion ITBOA “3-year-old filly.”

Kela's Turn earned $233,951 in total purse money last year, winning three of her six starts for her owner under jockey Shane Laviolette for trainer Henry Guillory, Jr.

Her 2021 season started with a bang when Kela's Turn took command early and drew off to a seven-length victory over five rivals in the traditional opening-weekend allowance sprint for the distaff 3-year-olds and up.

Kela's Turn bested the likes of Snapy Gal, 2020 seasonal champ Topless, and eventual top 2021 champion older Iowa-bred mare Naughty Shirley.

She won the Bob Bryant Stakes one month later and finished second to Naughty Shirley in the Mamie Eisenhower Stakes on June 19.

McClintock and Guillory decided to stretch out Kela's Turn into route races in her next two starts, which resulted in a third-place optional claiming finish and a narrow victory over Snapy Gal in The Hawkeyes Handicap at a 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 7.

“We really thought she could get a route of ground,” explained Guillory at the time. “After her first two-turn race, we decided to take the blinkers off and that really made the difference.”

The day after her tenacious victory in The Hawkeyes, Guillory stopped at the Prairie Meadows racing office to view the race again.

“I could watch the replay a hundred times,” Guillory exclaimed. “I knew she could win at two turns and she proved it!”

Guillory dropped Kela's Turn into the entry box more than a few times the rest of August and into early September, but was unable to get his filly into a race before the season-ending Iowa Breeders' Oaks on Iowa Classic Day Sept. 25.

In her first start in almost two months, Kela's Turn settled for second behind open-lengths winner Bossy Moment, an effort that solidified her status as the top Iowa-bred 3-year-old of the season and ITBOA Horse Of The Year for 2021.

“I'm so proud of her and her accomplishments,” said McClintock. “That first allowance race win was amazing! You never know for sure whether or not a young horse is going to move forward off a good two-year-old season or not and she ran like she hadn't missed a beat.”

“Sure, we wanted her to end the season with an Iowa Classic stakes victory,” added McClintock. “But it's pretty tough to go into those races on works alone.”

Guillory added, “She was the best Iowa-bred filly on the grounds all season long. I'm not trying to make excuses, but they all dodged her in the weeks after The Hawkeyes.”

Before the end of 2021, Kela's Turn added to her win total and career earnings with back-to-back victories, including a stakes score, at Delta Downs in Louisiana.

“We'll bring her back to Prairie Meadows for her 4-year-old season,” said McClintock. “We've already got our eyes on the major stakes races for the older fillies and mares. And, if we have to, we'll ship out to take advantage of any opportunities that might come up at other tracks in the Midwest.”

The other Iowa-bred champions of 2021:

2-year-old Iowa-bred colt — Ain't Life Grand, a son of Not This Time – Cat D'Oro (Medaglia D'Oro), won three of his four starts last season for owner/breeder RPM Thoroughbreds of Prairie Meadows Hall of Famers Ray and Peggy Shattuck, earning $128,730.

The precocious 2-year-old set off some fireworks of his own in an impressive Fourth of July debut, breaking alertly under jockey Elvin Gonzalez, seizing command early, and pulling clear to a three-length score.

Under the care of Prairie Meadows Hall of Fame trainer Kelly Von Hemel, Ain't Life Grand finished third in the Iowa Stallion Futurity on July 24, then capped his season with a double-digits tally in the Richard Radke Memorial at one mile on Sept. 4 and a gutsy three-length victory in the Iowa Cradle on Sept. 25.

2-year-old Iowa-bred filly — Demidanu, bred by Iowa State University and running for trainer Kelly Von Hemel, also recorded three wins in four starts during her debut season, posting earnings of $102,390.

Campaigned by the ownership group of Lynette Dreifurst, Dana Hellbusch, Warren Hellbusch, and Anthony Schieffer, Jr., Demidanu scored by eight lengths first time out under jockey Kevin Roman on June 27.

The daughter of Formidable – Soaring Goddess (Desert God) was unplaced in the Iowa Stallion Futurity before winning on Aug. 24 and capping her season with a solid score in the Iowa Sorority on Sept. 25.

3-year-old Iowa-bred colt/gelding — Sir Wally Wally, the son of Revolutionary – Paws Up (Posse), notched two wins from six starts at Prairie Meadows in 2021 for the ownership group of Midnight Thoroughbreds, LLC, Parenza Farms LLC, and Mark Deterding.

Trainer Kelly Von Hemel sent out Sir Wally Wally to stakes scores under Prairie Meadows Hall of Fame jockey Glenn Corbett in the Grays Lake on May 31 and the Iowa Stallion Stakes on July 17.

Older Iowa-bred mare — Naughty Shirley, a daughter Jafmil – Pulpinit (Pulpit) enjoyed the best season of her career during a seven-race campaign as a five-year-old.

Bred by Joe Robson Thoroughbreds and owned by Mercy Man Racing of Dylan Robson, Naughty Shirley recorded back-to-back wins at Prairie Meadows in 2021 under jockey Ken Tohill for trainer Doug Anderson.

She added a victory at Gulfstream Park on November 19, to reach $110,091 in total earnings for her season.

Older Iowa-bred horse — Topper T, a son of Bellamy Road – Des Moines (Evansville), hadn't won a race at Prairie Meadows in almost three years when he tallied an optional claiming sprint score under Shane Laviolette on July 12.

The 2018 Iowa Cradle winner for breeder Black Oak Farm (Sherry Tracy) changed hands four times after his two-year-old year and was claimed out of his July win by owner Gene Burkholder and trainer William Martin.

Topper T ran three times for Burkholder and Martin, winning the Dan Johnson Sprint on Iowa Classic Day to finish 2021 with earnings of $128,094.

The ITBOA also named champions based on earnings at Prairie Meadows in 2021:

Owner/Breeder of the Year—Allen Poindexter, whose Iowa-owned runners earned $854,870 and whose Iowa-bred foals earned $936,399.

Stallion of the Year — Native Ruler, now pensioned at Unbridled Spirits in Lisbon, IA. His progeny earned $430,295.

Broodmare of the Year — Paws Up, owned by Midnight Thoroughbreds, whose offspring earned $166,423.

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Direct Export Flight To Connect U.S., South African Thoroughbred Industries

For the first time in 23 years, there will be a direct charter flight for horse export between the U.S. and South Africa, potentially opening up new racing and bloodstock opportunities for both countries, the South African publication SA Horseracing reports.

The first charter from Johannesburg to New York City has been confirmed for March 7, marking the first direct flight to the U.S. since the export of a group of horses including multiple South African Group 1 winner and prominent U.S. sire Horse Chestnut over two decades ago.

The export flight has been put together by Gerard Connolly of Connolly and Turner Bloodstock Forwarding (CTB) and Robin Bruss of Northfields Bloodstock, following over a year of negotiations.

“We had to overcome a number of legal and logistical challenges” Connolly told SA Horseracing. “The beauty of the American route is that the USDA work on a PAQ (Post Arrival) Quarantine system, and not the Pre-Export Quarantine (PEQ) required by the EU: therefore, no AHS (African Horse Sickness) Free Zone and no transit quarantine in a third country. It's an overnight direct flight from Johannesburg to New York.”

“Under the agreement negotiated with the U.S. veterinary authorities, the horses will do one week in CTB's Johannesburg facility undertaking some routine tests before flying them directly to the U.S. On arrival, they will quarantine 60 days at the USDA facility before release as permanent imports. There will be exercise facilities for the horses to maintain a level of fitness until release.”

Connolly said this new flight could make it much easier logistically for South African connections to send horses to the Breeders' Cup.

It could also open up bloodstock trade between the two countries. Bruss noted the success that U.S.-based partnership Team Valor International has had importing racehorses between the two countries, and that a flight like this could make it easier for South African connections to buy at U.S. auctions.

Connolly said an initial charter had been planned for last October, with a group South African horses whose sales had been arranged to the U.S. and points elsewhere, but the global shipping and supply chain backups nixed the plan.

The maiden shipment will begin with a minimum load of 15 horses of various breeds and disciplines. Once that flight has been completed and deemed a success, Connolly said a second flight could be opened later in the year, with the hope that consistent full flights will bring down costs and shorten quarantines.

The 60-day quarantine from South Africa that Connolly described was set in place by the USDA in 1958 during the emergence of African Horse Sickness, an endemic disease in Africa that is often fatal if contracted, and has a 10-day incubation period. However, a vaccine has since been developed for AHS, and it can be detected by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, similar to COVID-19.

Bruss said he was hopeful that U.S. and South African authorities could negotiate post-arrival PCR tests upon reaching the U.S., which could slash quarantine times in the future.