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Bloodlines Presented By Caracaro: Cowan Carries The Torch For Successful Overbrook Farm Family

Unbeaten in his three starts, all at two, Kantharos was never a racer who lacked for speed, and it came as no surprise to the O'Farrell family in Florida when the chestnut son of Grade 1 winner Lion Heart became a leading freshman sire. Sent to stud at Vinery in Florida for his first two seasons at stud, Kantharos was transferred to the O'Farrells' historic Ocala Stud in late 2012.

Mike O'Farrell noted at the time that, “Kantharos has his first crop of weanlings this year, and what sold me on the idea of standing the horse was how he's passing on his own very good looks to his offspring. We have a couple of his first weanlings here on the farm, and they're outstanding individuals. We didn't just get lucky; we're hearing great things around town about the horse's babies. It's always a good sign to see a stallion stamping them like he is.”

Indeed.

From his first racers, Kantharos was the leading freshman sire in Florida in 2014, then the leading second-crop sire in the Sunshine State in 2015. By the end of that year, Kantharos had 10 percent stakes winners from his first crop of 51 foals, including graded winners X Y Jet and Mr. Jordan.

By the end of 2016, Stonestreet had reached an agreement with Hill 'n' Dale Farm in Kentucky to send their new stallion sensation to the Bluegrass, and the powerful chestnut has continued to climb the ladder of sire success.

Just last weekend, the stallion added a pair of new stakes winners when Magic Circle won the Busanda at Aqueduct and Cowan took home the gold and glory in the Duncan F. Kenner at the Fair Grounds.

The 4-year-old Cowan got the Kenner on the disqualification of Just Might (Justin Phillip), who has won and kept six of his last eight races. A striking chestnut, Cowan was bred in Kentucky by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and sold to Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt for $185,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September yearling sale.

Sent back to auction the following year, Cowan was bought back for $385,000 at the OBS March auction of juveniles in training. The powerhouse chestnut had turned in a strong work of :10 flat for a furlong, showing a stride length of nearly 25 feet and earning a BreezeFig of 74 (excellent) for the effort.

When he made a winning debut, going four and a half furlongs at Churchill Downs on May 22, Madaket Stables and Spendthrift Farm already were on the ownership line with the Heiligbrodts, and that ownership has campaigned the racer through 13 starts, including a half-dozen stakes placings, before his victory in the Kenner. The colt's current earnings stand at $826,602.

Out of the stakes-placed Smart Strike mare Tempers Flair, Cowan has a pedigree distinguished by quality and exceptional speed.

The colt's second dam is the stakes-winning Cloudburst (Storm Cat), winner in two of her four starts, including the Mardi Gras Stakes, going 5 1/2 furlongs at the Fair Grounds. Strikingly similar to her famous sire in color and looks, Cloudburst is a half-sister to champion juvenile colt Boston Harbor (Capote).

Both of these classy performers were bred and raced by W.T. Young's Overbrook Farm. Boston Harbor won six of his seven starts at two, including the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile and G2 Breeders' Futurity, when he was named champion of his division in 1996. Boston Harbor was fourth in the Santa Catalina, his only start at three, then was retired after a work injury and sent to stud at Overbrook in 1998. In 2001, the JBBA purchased Boston Harbor and exported him to stand in Japan on the island of Hokkaido.

Boston Harbor and his younger half-sister were the two stakes winners out of Harbor Springs, a stakes winner by Vice Regent that trainer Wayne Lukas bought for Overbrook out of the 1990 Keeneland July sale for $500,000. A winner of seven races from 11 starts, including the Wishing Well Stakes at Turfway, Harbor Springs became a distinguished producer for the farm.

The mare was also one of the last sold off in the Overbrook dispersal, bringing only $23,000 (covered by Street Boss), at the 2010 Keeneland January sale. Cloudburst had sold earlier, and in foal to leading sire Tiznow, she had brought $900,000 at the 2009 Keeneland November sale.

Harbor Springs was one of two stakes winners out of the Restless Wind mare Tinnitus, and the other one was champion sprinter Groovy, winner of the G1 Vosburgh, as well as a winner of the Forego and the Tom Fool twice each. A winner of more than $1.3 million, Groovy cut a dashing figure trying to sprint to victory in the 1986 Kentucky Derby. That didn't work out, but the charismatic colt showed exceptional talent in sprinting to victory in the Tom Fool at Belmont, then the Forego at Saratoga.

Acclaimed the fastest colt of his generation, Groovy was ironically outpaced in both the 1986 and 1987 Breeders' Cup Sprints by the fillies Very Subtle and Pine Tree Lane.

The history of high speed in this family was doubtless one of the attractions for the buyers when the handsome chestnut Cowan went to the sales, and the interest in the family has not paled.

The Heiligbrodts purchased the now 2-year-old half-sister to Cowan at the 2020 Keeneland November sale for $250,000. The daughter of Candy Ride is still unnamed, and Tempers Flair has a yearling filly of 2021 by Constitution (Tapit).

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Foal Patrol Presented By National Museum Of Racing And Hall Of Fame: Choosing Vekoma For Floripa

Foal Patrol, an initiative of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, has partnered with the Paulick Report in Season 5 to bring you closer to featured mares and foals and to ask farm staff questions about their care and management over the course of the season.

In this episode spotlighting Floripa at Old Tavern Farm in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Old Tavern's Greg Daley answers the question, “Why did you choose Vekoma for Floripa's mating?”

For a chance to have one of your questions asked in an upcoming Foal Patrol episode on the Paulick Report, email your question to foalpatrol@racingmuseum.net. Be sure to let us know if your question is for a specific Season 5 mare.

Since Season 1 in 2018, millions have engaged with Foal Patrol's live webcam series for a behind-the-scenes look at what daily life is like for in-foal mares and foals. Learn more about this season's lineup at www.foalpatrol.com and watch our “Recent Updates” for Foal Patrol announcements and posts about featured mares and foals throughout the season.

Foal Patrol Season 5 education content begins with breeding and reproduction and covers various aspects of the life of a Thoroughbred horse, from foaling through retirement. In partnership with industry collaborators, we will add content to the new Foal Patrol Education Site for viewers of all ages from January through June 2022 at www.foalpatrol.com/education. Check in often to connect and learn.

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Gun Runner Filly Tops OBS Winter Mixed Sale’s Consignor Preferred Session

Hip No. 86, consigned by Get Away Farm, Agent, went to Breeze Easy LLC, Mike Hall for $275,000 to top the Consignor Preferred Session on the first day of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2022 Winter Mixed Sale.

The yearling bay filly by Gun Runner, is out of Homemade Mo Nae, by Uncle Mo, a half-sister to graded stakes winner Conquest Two Step. Click here to view her walking video.

Hip No. 180, a bay son of Laoban consigned by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds LLC, Agent, was purchased by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing for $160,000. He's out of Steve's Philly by Tale of Ekati, and is a full-brother to current stakes winner Yo Cuz.

Hip No. 25, a yearling by Maclean's Music, went to Woodford Thoroughbreds for $150,000. Consigned by Silver Oaks Farm (Danielle Loya), Agent, the dark bay or brown filly is out of stakes-placed Beauty for Ashes and is a half-sister to graded stakes-placed Beautiful Shot.

Woodford Thoroughbreds also paid $130,000 for Hip No. 112, a bay filly by Mitole consigned by Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent. She's out of stakes winner Lunarlady, by Yes It's True, and is a half-sister to the dam of graded stakes-placed Whateverybodywants.

Summerfield also consigned Hip 133, a bay filly by Vino Rosso out of graded stakes placed Peisinoe, and is a half-sister to graded stakes placed Proverb. She was purchased by Bach Stables, LLC for $110,000.

Hip No. 122, a son of Audible consigned by Beth Bayer, Agent, was sold to First Finds for $100,000. The bay yearling colt is out of Mom's Deputy, by War Chant, and is a half-sister to graded stakes winner Mom's On Strike.

Hip No. 33, consigned by Abbie Road Farm (Lisa McGreevy), Agent, was sold to Woodford Thoroughbreds for $65,000. The dark bay or brown filly by Mo Town is out of Can't Steal My Joy, by Exclusive Quality, from the immediate family of Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil.

The top broodmare of the day went to H & E Ranch for $57,000. Hip 40, Sierra Aleone, a dark bay or brown mare by Gemologist, is a stakes placed winner and sold in foal to Spun To Run.

Hip No. 253, Freedom Speaks, a daughter of American Freedom consigned by Best A Luck Farm LLC, Agent was sold to Reitman Stables LLC for $145,000 to top the Horses of Racing Age session.

The 3-year-old gray filly, whose three-eighths in :31 2/5 seconds was fastest at the distance at the Under Tack Show, is out of the Macho Uno mare Wicked Speed, a half-sister to Horse of the Year Fatal Bullet.

Hip No. 268, Sonic Thrust, consigned by Grassroots Training & Sales LLC, was sold to Emerald Sales, Agent for Michael Eiserman for $70,000. The 4-year-old bay colt by Twirling Candy, who breezed three eighths in :31 4/5 seconds at the Under Tack Show, is out of Broad Sound, by Broad Brush, and is a half-brother to stakes placed Brimstone Island.

For the Consignor Preferred session, 143 horses sold for a total of $3,074,300, compared with 99 horses grossing $1,896,300 in 2021. The average price was $21,499 compared with $19,155 a year ago, while the median price was $10,000 compared with $10,100 last year. The buyback percentage was 16.4 percent; it was 30.3 percent last year.

For the Horses of Racing Age session, 73 horses grossed $1,211,700 compared with 73 selling for a total of $1,692,500 in 2021. The average was $16,599, compared to $23,185 a year ago, while the median price was $11,000. It was $13,000 last year. The buyback percentage was 18.9 percent; it was 12 percent in 2021.

The Winter Mixed Sale continues Wednesday at 11 a.m. with Hip No.'s 401 – 649 in the Open Session.

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After Some Hurdles, Seven-Figure Filly Rougir Begins Full-Time U.S. Residency

Few things can dump cold water on the seven-figure purchase of a racing prospect like finding out the horse's previous trainer has been arrested for doping.

Thoroughbred Daily News reports that the partnership of Peter Brant and Coolmore discovered this first-hand, following the 3-million Euro (about $3.3 million) purchase of French Group 1 winner Rougir at last year's Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale. On his own, Brant also bought the French Group 1-placed Speak of the Devil for 1.95 million Euros (about $2.2 million) at the Arqana sale.

Three days after the fall of the hammer, Rougir and Speak of the Devil's former trainer, Cedric Rossi, was among several in his family arrested in connection to a horse doping probe.

Going into the sale, Rougir was a high-level runner in Europe, having won the Group 1 Prix de l'Opera Longines and G3 Prix des Reservoirs in her native France. She had most recently traveled overseas to compete in last year's Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, where she finished seventh for owner Le Haras de La Gousserie. Having her trainer under suspicion for cheating would understandably cast doubt over the legitimacy of those performances, and in turn, the expensive purchase.

However, Brant said both of his purchases have jumped through every testing hoop. Had they not, or if the horses' records were damaged by anything pertaining to Rossi's arrest, Brant said he and the Coolmore partners had discussed contingency plans with the auction company.

“We were assured these horses were not involved in this thing,” Brant told TDN. “We had all sorts of tests taken on these horses. Samples were sent to Germany. They checked out very well. We were led to believe that these horses were not part of the investigation, that they checked out very well.”

Rougir and Speak of the Devil have been moved to the Florida-based barn of trainer Chad Brown, with short-term and long-term targets in New York turf graded stakes races.