2023 Mating Plans, Presented by Spendthrift: Denali Stud

As we approach the opening of the 2023 breeding season, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why. Today we spoke with Conrad Bandoroff at Denali Stud.

LIAM'S PROMENADE (m, 4, Liam's Map – Promenade Girl, by Carson City) to be bred to Curlin

We just purchased this mare with some partners in the January Sale and are very excited to have her. She hails from the family of MGISW Cavorting (Bernardini), who has of course produced MGISW Clairiere (Curlin). She is an attractive mare with a lot of quality and will suit Curlin quite well. It has worked in the family before!

HARD NOT TO LIKE (m, 14, Hard Spun – Like a Gem, by Tactical Cat) to be bred to Life Is Good

A multiple Grade I winner, this is a mare that we have always believed in. Her newly-turned 3-year-old colt Faustin (Curlin) was named a 'TDN Rising Star' after winning on debut sprinting. He has a ways to go, but looks like he could be a proper Saturday Afternoon Horse.

I have always wanted to breed her to the Into Mischief line and Life Is Good is a perfect physical match for her. She is a strong, powerful mare and needs a bit of size and scope from the stallion. This is the same cross that produced GSW Gerrymander (Into Mischief).

LADY APPLE (m, 7, Curlin – Miss Mary Apples, by Clever Trick) to be bred to Gun Runner

Last year Lady Apple delivered her first foal, a filly by Quality Road, that we like a lot. She's everything you look for in a first foal– good leg, and nice strength and substance to her. She is carrying and will soon foal an Into Mischief, so she is getting started with every chance. She is a multiple graded stakes winner who placed in the GI Kentucky Oaks. Her pedigree continues to blossom under Larry Doyle of KatieRich's management with her newly-turned 3-year-old half-sister American Apple (American Pharoah), a graded stakes winner at two.

Gun Runner needs no introduction and you just have to consider yourself fortunate to have a mare that can warrants a visit to him. This could get you a serious racehorse.

Dream Tree's Into Mischief yearling colt | Patrycja Szpyra

DREAM TREE (m, 8, Uncle Mo – Afleet Maggi, by Afleet Alex) to be bred to Flightline

The winner of the GI Starlet S. at two, Dream Tree is off to a good start in her broodmare career. Her first foal, a Curlin filly, sold for $700,000 to David Ingordo at last year's Keeneland September Sale. She has a highly promising Into Mischief yearling colt and is expecting a Gun Runner for this year. She is a beautiful, powerful mare.

This is a mating we are very excited about. Tapit has done very well over Indian Charlie-line mares. Flightline himself is a prime example. We are intrigued by this 3×3 to Indian Charlie and think it could produce a tremendous amount of speed. A generational talent in Flightline paired with a fast, precocious mare–a promising and potent mix, we hope!

PATHETIQUE (m, 5, Uncle Mo – Dothraki Queen, by Pure Prize) to be bred to Into Mischief

She is an Uncle Mo daughter of GII Pocahontas S. winner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies-placed Dothraki Queen. Pathetique herself had a ton of ability. She broke her maiden second time out at Saratoga for owner Richard Rigney and trainer Phil Bauer and was a stakes-caliber filly, but unfortunately got hurt. She was fast. Really fast.

We decided to breed her to Into Mischief because we think this could produce a freaky fast horse.

STOP SHOPPIN TAMMY (m, 6, Tapit – Miss Shop, by Deputy Minister) to be bred to Curlin

This is a daughter of Tapit that we have high hopes for. She is out of Grade I winner Miss Shop and is a full-sister to the graded stakes-winning Tin Type Gal. She is a gorgeous mare that physically suits Curlin really well. On paper, it is highly productive cross and is responsible for MGISW Cody's Wish (Curlin), not to mention that it goes back to A.P. Indy, which has been the magic Curlin cross.

WINE PRINCESS (m, 14, Ghostzapper – Azeri, by Jade Hunter) to be bred to Constitution

She is a Grade II and Grade III stakes winner by a Horse of the Year and out of a Horse of the Year. Now 14, what we like about her is that four of her five foals of racing age have made it to the races, won in New York, showed promise, have been sound and have earned over $100,000.

We still feel she can produce a good horse. Her 4-year-old Smokin' T (War Front) has shown signs of being one and is stakes placed. He's due to start what we hope will be a good campaign this year.

We rate Constitution as an emerging top stallion. We really like the momentum that he has in some really well-bred crops in the waves. We chose Constitution because Ashiham and Felix the Fox, her two sons by Tapit, had talent and we wanted to send her back to the Tapit line.

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Report: Aquis Group Cutting Ties With Phoenix After Failure ‘To Be Honest And Transparent’

Following last week's announcement that New South Wales and Racing Victoria have frozen the prize money of horses owned by Amer Abdulaziz' Phoenix Thoroughbreds over allegations of money laundering, the Aquis Group has decided to cut ties, reports the Australian Financial Review. A group operated by Hong Kong billionaire Tony Fung, Aquis owns multiple horses in tandem with Phoenix, including G1 Golden Slipper winner Farnan, as well as 19 horses purchased at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January.

Aquis' decision is predicated by the fact that Phoenix did not disclose the actions of racing authorities to freeze prize money.

“That conduct of Phoenix has failed to meet our expectations,” a spokesman for Aquis told the AFR. “Any true co-owner should inform their partner of such action by authorities. Phoenix failed to be honest and transparent with us over the prize money freeze, which has rendered the relationship untenable.”

Phoenix reportedly is not permitted to race in France, United Arab Emirates or the United Kingdom. No state racing commissions in the United States have taken regulatory action against Phoenix.

Phoenix continues to be active at U.S. bloodstock sales, including the $1.2 million bid by Phoenix agent Gerard Butler to buy out a partner in stakes winner Lady Apple last November at Fasig-Tipton. Shannon Arvin, president and CEO of Keeneland, released the following statement concerning Phoenix being allowed to participate in sales after court documents filed by a federal prosecutor in a money laundering case involving the multi-billion-dollar OneCoin cryptocurrency scam, accused Abdulaziz of being a money launderer for OneCoin.

“Keeneland is aware of the allegations that may involve Phoenix Thoroughbreds and is monitoring the situation,” said Arvin. “However, it is our understanding that Phoenix Thoroughbred has not been indicted by a grand jury, let alone convicted on any allegations. Keeneland will continue to follow any developments in this matter, and certainly will comply with any regulatory or legal action or direction from a governing authority.”

Since the money laundering accusations were made in federal court against Abdulaziz, it is believed that he has not traveled to the United States from Dubai, where he resides.

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NSW: Prize Money For Owner Phoenix Thoroughbreds Frozen Over Money Laundering Allegations

Racing New South Wales has frozen the prize money of owner Phoenix Thoroughbreds, reports Just Horse Racing, over allegations the founder Amer Abdulaziz is involved in money laundering.

“Racing NSW has investigated the matter and any allegation made in respect to legal proceedings internationally is denied by Mr. Abdulaziz,” said Racing NSW chairman of stewards Marc Van Gestel. “Pending the outcome of those matters Racing NSW is freezing the prizemoney of horses raced by Phoenix Thoroughbreds.”

Just Horse Racing reports: “In January, Phoenix and Canberra casino owner Tony Fung were the top buyers at the Magic Millions yearlings sale having spent $11.6 million on 19 horses.”

Phoenix also campaigned 2020 Golden Slipper winner Farnan.

Phoenix reportedly is not permitted to race in France, United Arab Emirates or the United Kingdom. No state racing commissions in the United States have taken regulatory action against Phoenix.

Phoenix continues to be active at U.S. bloodstock sales, including the $1.2 million bid by Phoenix agent Gerard Butler to buy out a partner in stakes winner Lady Apple last November at Fasig-Tipton. Shannon Arvin, president and CEO of Keeneland, released the following statement concerning Phoenix being allowed to participate in sales after court documents filed by a federal prosecutor in a money laundering case involving the multi-billion-dollar OneCoin cryptocurrency scam, accused Abdulaziz of being a money launderer for OneCoin.

“Keeneland is aware of the allegations that may involve Phoenix Thoroughbreds and is monitoring the situation,” said Arvin. “However, it is our understanding that Phoenix Thoroughbred has not been indicted by a grand jury, let alone convicted on any allegations. Keeneland will continue to follow any developments in this matter, and certainly will comply with any regulatory or legal action or direction from a governing authority.”

Since the money laundering accusations were made in federal court against Abdulaziz, it is believed that he has not traveled to the United States from Dubai, where he resides.

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Grade 3 Winner Lady Apple Retired, Will Be Bred To Quality Road

Phoenix Thoroughbreds' multiple graded stakes winner Lady Apple has been retired to the owner's broodmare band.

A visit to be covered by Lane's End's super sire Quality Road lies in the immediate future for the daughter of Curlin, who signed off her racing career with a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic on Sunday.

A winner of six of her 19 starts, she banked over $1 million in prize money thanks largely to her four successes at Grade 3 level.

Raced in partnership with KatieRich Farm for the early part of her career, she got off the mark at the fifth time of asking with victory in a maiden special weight at Oaklawn Park. From there, the Steve Asmussen trainee didn't look back, winning her next two starts culminating in the G3 Fantasy Stakes. That success qualified her for the Kentucky Oaks where she ran a stormer to finish in third.

She returned to winning ways on her very next outing by taking the G3 Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows before again bouncing back from defeat to claim the Remington Park Oaks, another Grade 3. Arguably her best win was her last as she beat Grade 1 winners Serengeti Empress and Street Band to win the 2020 running of Houston Ladies Classic. Although that proved to be her final trip to the winners' circle she placed twice more in stakes races before her owners called time on her career on Monday.

“She has been a fantastic race mare for us and she'll be an excellent addition to our breeding operation,” said Phoenix Thoroughbreds CEO Amer Abdulaziz. “She has a top-class pedigree with a race record to match while the cross with Quality Road looks very exciting. We are seeing some excellent results from our breeding operation around the globe and adding horses such as Lady Apple can only add to that.”

By Curlin, Lady Apple is the highest-profile of 10 winners produced by her dam Miss Mary Apples. The 5-year-old is also from the same family as Kentucky Derby winner Affirmed and Grade 1 winner Senor Pete.

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