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Will Take Charge, Midshipman Shuttling To Uruguay For Southern Hemisphere Season

A pair of Eclipse Award-winning sons of Unbridled's Song will shuttle to Haras Phillipson in Uruguay for the upcoming Southern Hemisphere breeding season, in Will Take Charge and Midshipman, the South American publication Turf Diario reports.

Will Take Charge, an 11-year-old son of Unbridled's Song, will ship to Haras Phillipson for the second consecutive year. He is wrapping up his seventh Northern Hemisphere season at Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Ky., where he stood for an advertised fee of $5,000.

From four crops of racing age, Will Take Charge has sired 132 winners and he's compiled progeny earnings of more than $10.4 million. His runners are led by Grade 3 winner Will's Secret and Grade 1-placed Manny Wah. In South America, his offspring include Peruvian Group 2 winner Esidio.

Will Take Charge earned the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old male in 2013 on the strength of a campaign that included wins in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes and Clark Handicap, the G2 Rebel Stakes and Pennsylvania Derby, and the G3 Smarty Jones Stakes, along with a runner-up effort in the Breeders' Cup Classic. At four, he won the G2 Razorback Handicap and ran second in the G1 Santa Anita Handicap, Donn Handicap, and Stephen Foster Handicap.

Midshipman is a veteran of the South American breeding ranks, having previously shuttled to farms in Brazil and Chile. The 15-year-old stands at Darley America in Lexington, Ky., where he was advertised in 2021 for $7,500.

With eight crops of racing age, Midshipman has sired 310 winners with combined progeny earnings of more than $28.4 million. Domestically, his highlights at stud include Grade 2 winner Princess Warrior, and Grade 3 winners including Lady Shipman and Sassy Sienna.

Midshipman has seen his greatest success in the Southern Hemisphere, including Brazilian 2,000 Guineas winner Royal Ship, who later shipped to the U.S. and became a Grade 2 winner. Other Southern Hemisphere runners of note include Brazilian Group 1 winners Tanganyka and Tweet, as well as Chilean Group 1 winner Succeso.

Midshipman was named champion 2-year-old male of 2008, after winning that year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile and the G1 Del Mar Futurity.

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Larry Collmus, Nick Luck Join TVG Broadcast Team This Summer

TVG will introduce two faces familiar to horse racing fans both here and abroad to its broadcast team this summer, the network announced today. Larry Collmus, best known as the voice of the Triple Crown on NBC, will join the TVG broadcast team for select days at Monmouth Park, and NBC Sports broadcast personality and international racing expert Nick Luck, a staple of horse racing coverage in both the UK and US, will be part of the TVG's special coverage of the iconic Royal Ascot meet from June 15 through June 18.

“We are very excited to have both Larry and Nick join our talent roster this summer,” said Kevin Grigsby, executive producer and senior vice president of television for FanDuel Group and TVG. “Both bring considerable experience, knowledge and local insight that will resonate with our audience.”

Collmus, a resident of the New Jersey shore and the Monmouth Park track announcer from 1994 to 2013, will co-host with Joaquin Jaime and Dave Weaver live from the TVG set trackside at Monmouth Park to provide perspective, analysis and insights on select days throughout the meet beginning with this weekend's coverage highlighted by the TVG.com Pegasus Stakes on Sunday. The race, the major prep for the Haskell Invitational, is expected to draw Mandaloun, runner-up finisher in the Kentucky Derby for trainer Brad Cox.

In addition to his time at Monmouth Park, Collmus has been the track announcer at major tracks across the country including the NYRA circuit, Gulfstream Park and Del Mar, and has worked as the race caller for NBC Sports' coverage of the Triple Crown since 2011 and the Breeders' Cup since 2012.

TVG's special coverage of every race from the Royal Ascot meeting will begin on Tuesday, June 15 at 9:00 a.m. ET/6:00 a.m. PT. TVG's Scott Hazelton will anchor the week-long Royal Ascot coverage from the Los Angeles studio, and Luck will be joining international racing expert Jess Stafford with live, on-site coverage featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and selections.

The Royal Ascot meeting will feature four Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge races which will earn the winner an automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup which will be held at Del Mar on November 5-6. The races are the Queen Anne Stakes (Fan Duel Mile), Prince of Wales's Stakes (Longines Turf), Norfolk Stakes (Juvenile Turf) and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Turf Sprint).

Luck is an eight-time horse racing broadcaster of the year in the UK who has covered every major racing event in his native England, including the Epsom Derby, the Cheltenham Festival and the Grand National. He first joined ESPN in 2006 as part of the broadcast team for the Breeders' Cup and has been part of the Breeders' Cup coverage on NBC since 2012.

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Keeneland Names Cormac Breathnach As Director Of Sales Operations

Keeneland today named prominent bloodstock consultant Cormac Breathnach, Ph.D., as its new Director of Sales Operations.

Breathnach brings a distinctive set of skills and more than 20 years of horse industry experience to Keeneland, combining bloodstock and pedigree knowledge, practical sales expertise and a doctorate in veterinary science from the Gluck Equine Research Center at the University of Kentucky.

“We are excited to have Cormac join the Keeneland sales team as the Director of Sales Operations,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “I have long admired his professionalism, knowledge and integrity, which is second to none, and have had the pleasure of watching him develop in the industry and gain the respect of a broad range of professionals. His skill set, personality and strong work ethic will help evolve Keeneland sales for the future. In addition, his background in research and animal welfare is a valuable asset as we continue to strive to set higher standards for the industry.”

Breathnach succeeds Geoffrey Russell, who announced his retirement in April following 25 years with Keeneland. Russell will remain in a consulting role with Keeneland through 2021.

“Geoffrey very generously has been helping us through the transition process to make it as seamless as possible,” Lacy said. “I can never thank him enough for his commitment to Keeneland even in his first stages of retirement. I know Cormac will integrate into this role smoothly with Geoffrey's guidance.”

Since 2017, Breathnach has served as Director of Stallion Nominations at Airdrie Stud, which stands such exciting young stallions as Cairo Prince, Collected and Complexity. For nearly eight years prior to his position at Airdrie, he was Stallion Seasons and Matings Consultant at Adena Springs, where he represented Breeders' Cup Classic winners and leading sires Ghostzapper and Awesome Again. Breathnach also founded Galway Bloodstock, a consultancy that has provided a range of services including auction representation, racehorse management and matings analysis.

A native of Galway, Ireland, Breathnach studied biotechnology at National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG). Following a summer research internship at Alltech in Lexington, he returned to Central Kentucky to earn a Ph.D. in Veterinary Science from the Gluck Equine Research Center in 2001. He completed two post-doctoral studies, first at the veterinary school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 2001-2003 before returning to the Gluck Center from 2004-2007. There he was the inaugural recipient of the Paul Mellon Postdoctoral Scholarship.

“It is a great honor to be named Director of Sales Operations at Keeneland,” Breathnach said. “Keeneland is a world-renowned cornerstone of the Thoroughbred industry, and to participate in its progressive mission under (Keeneland President and CEO) Shannon Arvin, Tony Lacy and the talented team already in place is a privilege.

“I have spent the last 12 years working with breeders, consignors and buyers on behalf of two of the preeminent stud farms in the Bluegrass, and I am excited to carry those relationships through to this new role with Keeneland,” Breathnach said. “I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given along the way, particularly to Bret Jones and his family for four successful years at Airdrie Stud.”

“Cormac has been such a tremendous contributor to Airdrie Stud, and I know I speak for our entire team when I say how much we will miss him,” Airdrie Stud Vice President Bret Jones said. “Keeneland and our breeding and racing community at large are gaining an advocate of the absolute highest ability and character. He is one of the truly wonderful people in our industry. I am very happy for Cormac to ascend to this important position and will always be grateful for the great friendship we've developed these last four years.”

Breathnach is on the board of both the Gluck Foundation, where he is the first graduate of the Gluck Equine Research Center to serve in that capacity, and the Secretariat Center. He is a past board member of the Iroquois Hunt Club.

Breathnach and his wife, Catherine, along with their daughter, Anna (9), reside in Lexington.

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Practical Joke Filly Tops OBS June Sale Opener

Hip No. 258, a daughter of Practical Joke consigned by Top Line Sales LLC Agent, went to Gary Young, Agent, for $425,000 to top the first session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2021 June Sale of 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age.

The chestnut filly, whose quarter in :21 1/5 was fastest at the distance at Thursday's Under Tack session, is out of stakes placed Devious d'Oro, by Medaglia d'Oro, a half sister to graded stakes winner Devious Intent.

Hip No. 149, a daughter of Uncle Mo consigned by Julie Davies LLC, Agent, was sold to Donato Lanni, Agent, for $375,000. The dark bay or brown filly, who breezed an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5 on Wednesday, is out of graded stakes winner Brooklynsway, by Giant Gizmo, from the family of graded stakes placed stakes winner Effie Trinket.

Hip No. 101, a son of Maclean's Music consigned by Coastal Equine LLC (Jesse Hoppel), Agent, went to Lauren Carlisle, Agent, for $350,000. The bay colt, who worked an eighth in :10 1/5 at Wednesday's Under Tack Session, is out of Artillery Punch, by Kitten's Joy, from the family of grade one stakes winner Bounding Basque.

Hip No. 245, a daughter of Classic Empire consigned by Gabriel Dixon, Agent, was purchased by West Point, L.E.B., Agent for $300,000. The bay filly, who breezed an eighth in:10 1/5 on Thursday, is out of Decoder, by War Front, a full sister to grade one stakes winner Data Link.

Hip No. 107, a daughter of Midnight Storm consigned by Scanlon Training & Sales, Agent, went to HR Racing for $290,000. The bay filly, whose eighth in :9 4/5 Wednesday's fastest at the distance, is a half sister to stakes winner Miss My Rose out of Ava G, by Afternoon Deelites, from the family of grade one stakes placed stakes winner Winter Treasure.

Hip No. 313, Tap in Tune, consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent, went to Full of Run Racing LLC / Madaket Stables LLC for $215,000. The dark bay or brown filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat on Thursday, is out of Fashion Tap, by Tapit, a daughter of graded stakes winner First Passage.

Hip No. 122, a daughter of Gormley consigned by Hemingway Racing and Training Stables, LLC, Agent, was sold for $200,000 to Integrity Bloodstock, Agent for Lee Pokoik. The chestnut filly, who worked in eighth on Wednesday in :10 flat, is out of graded stakes winner Beat the Blues, by Great Pyramid (IRE), from the family of stakes winner Dedicated Queen.

For the session, 176 horses grossed $7,268,400, compared with 163 selling for a total of $5,037,800 at last year's first session. The average was $41,298 up 33.6 percent compared with $30,907 a year ago, while the median price was $20,000, up 53.9 percent compared to $13,000 in 2020. The buyback percentage was 26.7 percent; it was 25.2 percent last year.

The June Sale continues Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Hip No.'s 317 – 632 will be offered.

To view the session's full results, click here.

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