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KTFMC Meeting: Labor Crisis in the Thoroughbred Industry

LEXINGTON, KY-The ongoing labor crisis in the Thoroughbred industry was the focal point of discussion at the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers' Club's monthly meeting, which was held on Tuesday and brought in a large audience for a discussion on the talk.

A panel of five industry participants and educators was on hand to give their perspective on the history of the issue and how the situation has worsened over time. They also spoke on projects currently in the works that have potential to bring in skilled labor and shared their thoughts on the best methods for effectively recruiting a new generation of workers.

“We had a board meeting and discussed what would be relevant for this meeting and this is a topic that pertains to every farm right now,” KTFMC President Courtney Schneider said. “You hope that there's a light at the end of the tunnel, but it's an issue that needs to be addressed and we need to be educated about what we can do to bring in new people and keep them in the industry.”

“Our goal for the club is to refocus on issues that are important for farm managers–be it health and disease, operational issues or the bigger challenge of labor,” KTFMC Treasurer Gerry Duffy said. “It's an issue affecting every farm and everyone you talk to. Some people are in a desperate situation. Not only are you changing how you do things due to the absence of help, but it's putting an extra burden on the people you do have. It's not sustainable and we need to really get in front of the issue to try and solve it.”

Fasig-Tipton

Chris Baker was the first member of the panel to speak. The Chief Operating Officer of Three Chimneys Farm briefed the audience on the state of the issue when he first joined the industry through an entry-level position as a groom in 1986.

“It was a different time with 50,000 foals on the ground, the market was strong and input and labor costs were relatively low,” he said. “But even at that time, when labor was more abundant than it is today, I can still remember lamenting about finding the next group of people coming up to do this. The problem of identifying, recruiting and retaining a workforce isn't a new one, but it was less of an issue then.”

According to Baker, the connection with the horse–or lack thereof–is a main cause for today's limited employee pool and poor job retention.

“Finding help seemed easier [in 1986] and I think some of that was because we were less removed from an agrarian society. When you look now at the composition of the workforce, with a lot of Latinos, many of the people who have immigrated here are less removed from or are coming from an agrarian society. I think that's a big part of it–the connection with the horse. Without that, it can be hard to make sense of what you have to do and the sacrifices that need to be made in order to have a career in this industry.”

Baker emphasized that in order to recruit a strong, skilled workforce, finding the right person to fit the job is crucial.

“If you're going to come to work in the Thoroughbred industry, you probably have a different realistic financial ceiling than if you were going into medicine or finance,” he explained. “So why do you come to the horse business? It all comes back to the horse. I think if we can put the horse first in all we do, make people aware and make that focus on the horse as part of your recruiting, you're going to get the kind of people you want who are doing it for the right reasons.”

He continued, “We need to focus on a fair wage, a good work environment where people and horses are treated with respect, because that's part of making people feel like they're a part of something special, and then we need to train, develop and encourage so there is infrastructure in place for people to grow.”

Frank Taylor, Vice President of Taylor Made Farm, also shared his experiences as an employer. Taylor Made has several programs that Taylor said have been key to keeping their operation fully staffed.

This year, Taylor Made has started a pilot program called the Taylor Made School of Horsemanship. Created in partnership with Shepherd's House, a transitional residential drug addiction treatment center in Lexington, the program set a goal to bring in five trainees every 90 days. The workers spend their days on the farm and then return to the Shepherd's House every evening, where in addition to food and housing, they are also provided with counseling services.

“We have one barn set up where they are all working together and we also have a director there, someone who is good at teaching,” Taylor said. “I think it could be huge in the future. It's such a win for everybody. Obviously it's a win for society, it's a win for the horse business and a win for Taylor Made, and if we can give these people second-chance employment and help them get on their feet, I think we can do a lot of great stuff.”

While the project is still in the beginning stages, Taylor said he envisions future expansion.

“When you give these people a second chance and they are fully recovered, they become an example for everybody else,” he said. “For people dealing with addiction, one of the things that keeps them going is helping other people. So our hope is that we grow this and help a lot of people, who in turn help a lot of other people. We want to take this, get it perfected and show it to other farms. This has a lot of potential and we could envision 50 to 60 people a year graduating from this program and going out into the industry.”

Taylor said that his farm has also been a part of the H-2A Temporary Agricultural Workers program for four years.

“This program has been a godsend,” he said. “The thing about these guys is they're coming in and they're grateful and they love what they're doing. They can do two times as much work as the average person, maybe three.”

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) Foundation and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Workforce Center has joined forces to launch the Equine Workforce Initiative in an effort to address the shortage of equine workers on a state level. Laurie Mays, another member of the panel, serves as the initiative's Equine Talent Pipeline Project Manager.

“We are in year three of this initiative,” she said. “We bring employers together and give them a safe space to discuss their struggles in terms of workforce development. We look at things like what skills go along with specific positions and how many people an employer might need in these positions.”

One problem her team has encountered, Mays said, is that accurate research on employment in the equine industry is difficult to pinpoint quantitatively due to the broad scope of data the state agency has to offer on employment in agriculture as a whole.

“One of the things we're doing is trying to get hard data for the needs of the industry,” Mays said. “This information and data can feed into our state's statistical agency so we can have a better idea of what our true needs are. This gives us a better way to talk to training programs when we can show them the actual number of positions we need to fill.”

The program at Blackburn Correctional Complex currently has seven graduates working in the industry. | EquiSport Photos

The Equine Workforce Initiative is in the process of developing several other programs that could prove to be valuable resources for employers. In partnership with the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and the Blackburn Correctional Complex in Lexington, Mays and her team are working to create meaningful connections between inmates who have undergone training on the farm and potential employers so that graduates of the program have a job as soon as the time comes.

“As of yesterday, we've placed seven people in Lexington at farms and vet clinics and it's going very well,” May reported. “We've heard great feedback from the employers who have hired them. We're going to look at doing an educational tour for employers to meet the instructors and the gentlemen, see the facility and learn more about what they learn.”

Savannah Robin serves as the internship coordinator for the University of Kentucky's Equine Program. She joined the panel to speak on the growing population of higher-education graduates seeking a career in the equine industry.

Robin shared that seven institutions in Kentucky offer an equine program. At the University of Kentucky, 300 students are in the program at any given time and on average, 89% come from out of state.Each student is required to complete an internship in order to obtain their degree at UK, and Robin said that on average, 21% of these internships focus on horse and farm management. However, only 9% of the UK Equine Program's alumni base currently works in that same field.

“We need to figure out how to tap into that 21% and help retain them within an industry than can provide them with leadership experiences,” Robin said.

Katie LaMonica, the Charities Manager for Godolphin, closed out the panel by reminding the audience about the upcoming Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards.

“We are heading into the sixth year of the TIEA Awards,” she said. “If we're looking for ways to reward and recognize our staff, this is a great way to do it. This year, all seven award categories have a sponsor. Our nominations are now open and we also have a new award. The Support Service Award is for your maintenance crew, gate grew, night watch team, farriers-people who don't necessarily work on the end of the shank, but they keep you going.”

The audience present at the meeting consisted of a diverse group of both well-established and up-and-coming industry participants, with UK Equine students and Kentucky Equine Management Internship (KEMI) members on hand. During the 'Q and A' session at the end of the meeting, much discussion was brought forth on the topic of work-life balance and the incoming generation's emphasis on the subject.

“Millennials and Gen Zers get beat up sometimes in terms of their work ethic, but the values of their generation won't disappoint you in what they can bring to the workforce,” Robin said. “These students need different things. They need different things than what I needed when I graduated. They're looking at work-life balance early on so that they don't burn out and can go on a long time within a career and be sustainable within that career.”

Baker and Taylor agreed that better working conditions and increased job flexibility are areas they could see evolving in the future, but said that participation in the Thoroughbred industry would always require hard work and sacrifice.

Baker said, “Do we need to adapt and provide opportunities to broaden the people that come to this business for a career? Yes. But on some level, I think the people that do the best, go the furthest and accomplish the most are those that embrace the lifestyle and the sacrifices that come with it in their personal life.”

“It is a lifestyle and it's not a job,” Taylor echoed. “If you're getting in the horse business and you want to be successful, it has to be a lifestyle. If you're going to get in this business, you better love it and be dedicated to it.”

“It's a matter of figuring out a way to make our industry available to the incoming generation who, quite rightly, doesn't want to work seven days a week,” Duffy said in conclusion. “We have competition from other industries who are paying more and making variable work times and conditions available to people, but behind that there's some great work going on here and some great initiatives. We have to keep the conversation going. We're here to get a discussion going and not necessarily present the answers, but just to get the industry talking and collaborating. As an industry, we need to come together and try to solve our issues together.”

The post KTFMC Meeting: Labor Crisis in the Thoroughbred Industry appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Destination Lexington: What’s New on the Food Scene

The 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale is just around the corner and soon, buyers from around the globe will be scouring the expansive sales grounds in search of their next star. Such intense scrutiny of the thousands of impressive yearlings at the annual auction is sure to work up an appetite, and thankfully the culinary scene in Lexington is vibrant with a diverse group of restaurants that can appeal to any palate.

For many visitors, it will be their first time in town in two years, so we paid a visit to some of the newest and most popular restaurants downtown to give an early taste to sales-goers who might be looking to discover something new during their time in Lexington.

Horse and Jockey -15 Minutes from Keeneland

131 Cheapside St. Lexington, KY 40507

Horse and Jockey Pub and Kitchen, a traditional Irish gastropub, is located in the heart of downtown Lexington. The restaurant has quickly garnered positive reviews amongst the local horse racing community and the racing-themed decor further lends itself to that clientele.

Paul Murphy, a native of Scotland who spent most of his childhood and young adult life in Ireland, moved to New York 20 years ago. He and his partner, Jimmy McSweeney, had a dream of starting up a restaurant in Lexington.

They found an old night club on Main Street that looked promising, but when they came to town for a visit, quickly realized there was no proper place to add a kitchen. As they were strolling through the streets of downtown afterwards, they came across the building now known as Horse and Jockey.

“The place had just closed,” Murphy recalled. “There was paper on the windows but I looked in and said, 'Wow, this could make a nice speakeasy-type place.' So we got in touch with the landlord and he walked us through the next morning. It was pretty much a done deal right there.”

As for the name, while obviously reminiscent of the famed Horse and Jockey Hotel in Tipperary, Murphy said when he moved to Queens two decades ago, the first bar in his neighborhood that he visited was also called Horse and Jockey.

“Everybody can understand where it's coming from,” he explained. “We figured there were already a couple of Irish bars downtown, but none of them had any food. So we figured that would be our niche-a traditional Irish menu.”

After four months of renovation, Horse and Jockey opened its doors in January of 2020. Five weeks later, they were forced to shut down due to the Coronavirus pandemic. But the new eatery came back with a vengeance this June.

“It has been so busy,” Murphy said. “Luckily we have a good staff and a lot of them stayed on. It was a tough year for everybody and thankfully the people downtown and the local community have come in and it's been great. We've made a lot of friends.”

Murphy said some of their menu's best-selling items include fish and chips, bangers and mash and curry cheese fries. Another popular dish, Shepherd's Pie, is made daily by Murphy's wife.

'A hundred thousands welcomes' greet guests seated at Horse and Jockey's outdoor patio. | Katie Ritz

“It's as good as you'll get back in Ireland,” he said proudly. “We also do a burger with Irish bacon on it. A lot of people ask why we don't have American bacon, but this is our thing. We're trying to stick to our traditional menu.”

First-time guests have plenty of options upon visiting. Aside from the main indoor dining area, the restaurant also has an outdoor patio as well as an upstairs covered patio that features both a bourbon and a gin bar.

The menu offers a wide array of drink selections, from beers on tap to an expansive wine list and various cocktails. All of the herbs used in the drinks–mint, rosemary, lavender and basil–are grown in-house.

“The overall atmosphere on any night is busy,” Murphy said. “We have live music on Thursday nights and we have a big screen where we will show horse racing or whatever sporting event is on. There's a good buzz around the place. Everybody enjoys themselves.”

The first thing that catches any guest's eye, according Murphy, is the artwork.

Before the Horse and Jockey opened for business last year, Murphy and his partner hired Kate Lossen to help design the space. Lossen was also the curator of the collection from famed Eclipse Award-winning photographer Tony Leonard. She provided the photographs that now grace nearly every inch of wall space at Horse and Jockey.

“I think we have maybe 300 and something pictures, but they're all from Tony Leonard,” Murphy said. “Some of them are really, really unique, like we have a picture of Secretariat sitting down. There are even pictures from Ireland that he took. They're all dated and have a description of who is in the photo, so a lot of horse people come in and want to take a look.”

Other popular photos from the collection include a shot of Leslie Combs with stallions Swaps and Nashua at Spendthrift Farm, Mary Lou Whitney in the paddock at Keeneland, and an enlarged photo from 1952 that covers an entire wall and depicts mule-drawn sledges working up the track at Keeneland.

“Steve Cauthen's brother was here and said he thought there might be a picture of him,” Murphy recalled. “We looked and found a picture of Steve when he won an Eclipse Award and his brother was in it too. That was really unique, but a lot of people from the horse business come in. People from Coolmore, Darley, Shadwell, all the big horse farms, they come in to watch the racing and have Irish breakfast. They'll chat amongst themselves and they can remember everything about the horses in the pictures-when they were foaled, how much they sold for and who trained them.”

Murphy said that Breeders' Cup week last November was a busy time at the restaurant with visits from Frankie Dettori as well as some of the owners of Classic winner Authentic (Into Mischief).

“The good think about Lexington is that there's a lot of different types of restaurants that you can go to, but everybody has their own thing, their own niche,” he said. “Our niche is traditional Irish food. For people in the horse business coming into town who stop by, they'll first be intrigued by the pictures and then they'll all know each other and start talking about horses, which is great. I love listening to them.”

Several other new spots have launched in downtown Lexington recently, many of which offer a bit of horse racing flare.

Frank and Dino's -16 Minutes from Keeneland

271 W Short St. Lexington, KY 40507

A racehorse owner, trainer and breeder by day and a restaurant owner by night, Carlo Vaccarezza is a man who wears many hats. The native of Italy has lived in the U.S. for over half a decade now, making a name for himself in the country with homebred Little Mike (Spanish Steps), winner of the 2012 Breeders' Cup Turf, among others.

While his passion is horse racing, Vaccarezza is also involved in the restaurant business. Frank and Dino's, a nod to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, opened its first location in Boca Raton, Florida. This July, a second restaurant is set to launch in Lexington.

With an atmosphere aimed to be reminiscent of Italian-American culture in the post-war 1950s, guests can expect a lively, classy setting where they can sit back and enjoy authentic Italian cuisine. Along with an array of pasta entrees, the menu will also feature Italian fish and chicken dishes, salads and appetizers.

Greyline Station -15 Minutes from Keeneland

In the 1940s, the Greyline Station building was home to the headquarters for Southeastern Greyhound, Lexington's largest private employer. | Keeneland

101 W Loudon Ave. Lexington, KY 40508

Built in 1928, the 65,000 square foot building now known as Greyline Station was once the company headquarters for Southeastern Greyhound Lines. The structure has been mostly vacant since 1960 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. Four years later, the complex was given a makeover and modernized into what is now Greyline Station.

The building, now transformed into Lexington's first public marketplace, is home to dozens of restaurants and shops as well as an event space. Popular dining spots in the complex include The Breeze Wine Bar, which features international chocolates along with wines and spirits, North Lime Coffee and Donuts, a well-loved stop for Lexington residents, Porterhouse BBQ, Rise Up Pizza and more. A 'sip and stroll' license in the building allows visitors to grab a drink before exploring the diverse group of merchants.

ItalX–17 Minutes from Keeneland

Spaghetti Carbonara-Guanciale, egg yolk and Pecorino with housemade pasta–at ItalX. | ItalX Facebook

160 W Main St. Lexington, KY 50407

Quality is the word of the day at ItalX, where the menu is inspired by Italy's emphasis on simple, fresh, quality ingredients. Everything offered is made in-house daily-from hand-made pastas to velvety desserts. ItalX, housed in the downtown City Center development, was officially launched last October by award-winning chef and Lexington native Jonathan Lundy alongside partner TJ Cox.

Popular dishes include the Pizza Fritta appetizer with oven-roasted tomato, basil and burrata, the Candele Cacio e Pepe entree, made with toasted black pepper and Pecorino Reggiano and offered with or without truffles, and of course for dessert, Tiramisu al Marsala. An extensive wine selection is housed in a temperature-controlled wine room.

Jeff Ruby's-17 Minutes from Keeneland

The line of lawn jockeys outside of Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse displays many well-known and prominent silks. | Katie Ritz

101 W Vine St. Lexington, KY 40507

Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse opened its highly-anticipated Lexington location in the spring of 2019. With restaurants already established in Cincinnati, Nashville, Louisville and Columbus, the fine-dining company is regarded amongst food critiques for offering one the best steakhouses in the country.

A prominent restaurateur, Jeff Ruby is also known for his love of horse racing. He has been a partner in several graded stakes winners over the years and his company's logo is displayed on the pants of several top jockeys in the U.S.

Ruby was thrilled to launch his fifth location by pulling out all the stops to create a Lexington-themed atmosphere centered around bourbon, (Thoroughbred) breeding and basketball. A long line of lawn jockeys welcomes guests entering the establishment and a horseshoe-shaped bar sits in front of the stage that often features live music. Several signature rooms are graced with equine touches, including one private room specifically geared towards horse racing enthusiasts.

For more on where to stay, what to do and what's new in Lexington, click here.

The post Destination Lexington: What’s New on the Food Scene appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Vibrant Market At Fasig July HORA & Breeding Stock Sales

By Christie DeBernardis & Christina Bossinakis

LEXINGTON, KY–There was plenty of buzz at Newtown Paddocks Monday with a lively day of trade for Fasig-Tipton's July Breeding Stock and Horses of Racing Age Sales.

The popular Horses of Racing Age Sale was back for its ninth straight year and there was plenty of demand for promising or accomplished runners. Stakes winner Front Run the Fed (Fed Biz) topped the auction, selling to George Sharp for $440,000 off a third-place finish in the GIII Poker S. The second highest-priced horses was recent Iowa Derby romper Stilleto Boy (Shackleford), who brought $420,000 from owner Steve Moger, who did his bidding on the internet.

“This was as vibrant of a racehorse sale as we ever participated in,” said Elite's Brad Weisbord, who consigned the topper. “There is a lot of money and a lot of demand for active, in-form horses now. A horse like Front Run the Fed can top the sale. He was third in the [GIII] Poker [S]. For a 5-year-old to bring $440,000, that's top money. Top to bottom, this was a very, very good market and we found it as vibrant as we ever have.”

While six of the top nine sellers came from Elite's barn, those horses were also purchased by different entities, all of which were domestic, but spread from coast-to-coast.

“I had about 10-12 horses I was going to bid on, but it was difficult,” said Sharp. “By way of example, I won a race at Lone Star with a horse that I claimed for $20,000 in California. I won the race by 9 3/4 lengths and the horse that finished third that day brought $75,000 today. That was a little nutty because my horse was a $20,000 claim. That tells you all you need to know.”

A total of 79 racehorses changed hands Monday for a gross of $5,905,500. The average was $74,753 and the median was $50,000. There were 26 horses who did not meet their reserves for an RNA rate of 24.8%.

Last year at this auction, 81 head brought $5.072 million in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and without the Fasig-Tipton July Yearling Sale, which typically follows. The average in 2020 was $62,617 and the median was $30,000. Thirty-eight horses failed to sell last term for an RNA rate of 31.9%.

“It was a very active market with very competitive bidding throughout the day,” said Fasig-Tipton President and CEO Boyd Browning, Jr. “It is the same story that the higher quality of horses, the more activity. There was good commerce and good trade. It was not crazy, but it had a very vibrant feel to it. There was a diverse buying group and was an encouraging start, or really middle part, to the July Sale market this year. I think the sale continues to have a real spot on the calendar. We are very encouraged by it.”

For the first time this year, the Horses of Racing Age Sale was preceded by the Fasig-Tipton July Breeding Stock Sale. The impetus for this new addition was the dispersal for Far From Over/Fountain of Youth, a group that purchased mares to support the recently deceased regional stallion Far From Over. All 15 members of the dispersal sold for a total of $666,000. The auction's topper was the 4-year-old filly Jeweled Princess (Cairo Prince), who brought $225,000 from Stoneriggs Farm while carrying her first foal by leading freshman sire Gun Runner.

Forty-four mares sold for a total of $2.012 million Monday for an average of $45,727 and a median of $31,000. Seven mares failed to find new homes for an RNA rate of 13.7%.

“I thought it was really interesting,” Browning said. “I was really surprised with how well some of the in-foal mares sold that were not part of the dispersal and how some of the broodmare prospects sold. I was a little surprised that some of the mares with foals at their sides did not bring a little more money. However, it is a big commitment to buy a mare who has had four of five foals. We have seen that be an area of weakness in the marketplace, whether it be at January, February or November. We all know the carrying costs are not cheap. Once again, it goes back to there needs to be a certain level of quality to attract significant attention.”

Action returns to Newtown Paddocks Tuesday for the Fasig-Tipton July Selected Yearling Sale. Bidding gets underway at 10 a.m.

Fed Biz Colt Tops F-T HORA Sale…

In the waning stages of Monday's Fasig-Tipton July HORA Sale, it was Front Run the Fed (Fed Biz) who stole the show with a sale-topping final bid of $440,000 from owner George Sharp.

Offered by Elite, Hip 647 earned his first black-type badge in Saratoga's Better Talk Now S. in 2019 for trainer Chad Brown and Klaravich Stables.

“I decided that I got tired of being outbid, and I decided to go to [$440,000] because I want to go to the Breeders' Cup this year,” explained Sharp. “This one is hopefully going to get me there. I'm very pleased with the purchase.”

He added, “This horse was the best one in the sale, bar none. This one vetted out perfectly and it showed in the price he brought. We're a little nervous, but pretty happy.”

On the board in half of four starts last season, including a win in a Belmont optional claimer, he kicked off 2021 with a close-up second behind next-out GI Jackpot Jaipur S. hero Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) in the Apr. 24 Elusive Quality S. before coming home third last out in the GIII Poker S. June 20. A winner of four of 13 starts, the colt has earnings of $392,150 to date.

Sharp indicated the colt will join trainer Caio Caramori. Asked where Front Run the Fed will head next, Sharp said, “We're not sure yet. We might race him once in Del Mar and almost certainly Kentucky Downs. And then the goal is the Breeders' Cup.”

Out of Lawless Miss (Posse), the 5-year-old entire is from the family of multiple graded winners Lottsa Talc and Fort Loudon. A $65,000 KEENOV weanling purchase, the bay realized a $300,000 final bid from Mike Ryan at KEESEP.

Sharp previously made a splash at Fasig, going to $335,000 to secure stakes winner Hello Hot Rod (Mosler) at the Winter Mixed Sale in February.

The bulk of Sharp's horses reside in Lexington at the Thoroughbred Training Center, however, Sharp also has horses throughout the Midwest and in California. He also campaigns a few of the lower-level stock in his home state.

A horse owner since 1999, Sharp got his start racing Standardbreds before moving into the Thoroughbred game in 2015. A private mergers and acquisitions specialist, the Scottsdale, Arizona, resident is involved small company mergers and acquisitions with public companies. @CBossTDN

Stilleto Boy High Stepping at F-T July

There was little question that Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) would garner some attention at Monday's Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age sale. And that expectation turned into reality when West Coast-based Steve Moger, bidding online, was extended to $420,000 to secure the 4 1/2-length winner of the July 2 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows. The flashy chestnut was offered as Hip 557 by agent Paramount Sales on behalf of John and Iveta Kerber, Michael Coleman, Doug Anderson and Aaron Kennedy.

“He certainly deserved that price,” said Paramount Sales's Pat Costello. “He just won the Iowa Derby, so that's a big plus. He is obviously a very sound horse and has a lot of racing left in him, so I think that was his value.”

He added, “Physically, he is such a gorgeous horse and was such a good horse to be around for us.”

Bred by the Kerbers, the gelding is out of Rosie's Ransom (Marquetry), also responsible for stakes winner Rosie My Rosie (Purge) and stakes-placed Condo Closing (Offlee Wild). Earlier this season, he graduated going wire-to-wire going 8 1/2 furlongs at Oaklawn Apr. 17, defeating recent GIII Indiana Derby winner Mr. Wireless (Dialed In).

In regards to the timely catalog update, Costello said, “The timing of the sale was perfect for us. He won the Iowa Derby 10 days ago, so coming in to a sale like this with an update like that is huge. And this is a good market. With Del Mar coming up, I think the timing couldn't be better.”

Making his first purchase at the July HORA sale, Moger previously enjoyed success with Stormy Lucy, who was purchased privately in the spring of 2014 and turned over to Moger's brother, Ed Moger Jr. The filly went on to annex a pair of graded stakes for the brothers, including a 65-1 upset in the GI Matriarch S. the following season before topping this sale at $575,000 in 2016.

“I really liked the way the horse ran and we're going to ship him over to Del Mar and see what we can do with him there,” said Moger, who currently has 25-30 horses in training in California. “I was looking for a few horses to send to my brother, so we looked to see what we could pick up out east and see what happens.” @CBossTDN

Elite Gets Off to Fast Start at Fasig July

Brad Weisbord and Liz Crow's Elite Sales were quick out of the gate at the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale, selling the first horse through the ring, stakes winner Josie (Race Day) (Hip 501), to KatieRich Farm for $300,000.

“I like her for a broodmare prospect down the road and we might have a little more fun with her as we go,” said KatieRich's Larry Doyle.

Purchased by Crow for $170,000 at OBS March on behalf of Steve Landers, Josie kicked off this term with an allowance win in her first try at a mile at Oaklawn Feb. 28. Off the board next out in Hot Springs Apr. 8, the 4-year-old filly captured a one-mile event at Indiana Grand 20 days later and entered this sale off a career-high score in the Iowa Distaff July 3. Trained by Brad Cox, she currently boasts a record of 14-4-4-2 and earnings of $266,867.

“She is three-for-four routing and came in off a career-best performance,” Crow said. “She ran an 89 Beyer, a 1 Thoro-Graph, a 9 Ragozin. She showed she can step up to stakes level competition. That was her first attempt in stakes company and she won. It is great to bring a horse off a win like that into a sale like this. Brad Cox had her looking great. She showed very well. Everyone is looking for an in-form horse and she had black-type to back it up and good pedigree, so she has residual when she is done.”

Out of SW Spirited Away (Awesome Again), Josie is a half-sister to MGSW sire Prospective (Malibu Moon) and the dam of GSW and GISP Kalypso (Brody's Cause).

Elite sold 17 of the 19 horses in their consignment Monday for a gross of $2.192 million and an average of $128,941. They were responsible for six of the top nine hips sold, including $440,000 sales topper Front Run The Fed (Fed Biz). —@CDeBernardisTDN

Patience Pays Off For Bradshaw

Randy Bradshaw purchased Devils Sky (Into Mischief) (Hip 627) for $135,000 at this venue's 2019 July Yearling Sale. The colt did not make it to the 2-year-old sales, but rewarded Bradshaw back at Newtown Paddocks Monday, selling for $250,000 to Donato Lanni, who was acting on behalf of Joe Bucci. The colt will go to New York, but his new trainer has yet to be determined.

“We bought him here a few years ago,” said Bradshaw, who consigned the colt through Four Star Sales. “He was just an immature kind of colt that took a while to come around. He had the baby stuff, like shins. We were just very patient with him and we decided if he broke his maiden, my daughter [Ashley] would get to sell him. It just worked out very well. He is a very nice colt and has his best days in front of home.”

Trained by George Weaver, Devils Sky failed to fire when eighth after a troubled trip in his 7 1/2-panel debut on the grass at Gulfstream Apr. 24. The bay rallied from well back to graduate by a nose when extended to 8 1/2 furlongs over the Hallandale lawn June 6.

“His maiden race was impressive,” Lanni said. “He jumped through every hoop. He vetted good, he is by Into Mischief. We wanted some action for Saratoga and hopefully he will provide that action.”

A half-brother to GSP His Glory (Mineshaft), Devils Sky hails from the family of champion Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile). —@CDeBernardisTDN

Cairo Prince Mare Heads F-T July Breeding Stock Sale…

With only a handful of offerings left to go during the breeding stock session of the Fasig-Tipton July sale Monday, it appeared things might be winding down. That was until Jeweled Princess, offered as Hip 448, strode into the arena. Shooting quickly over the $100,000-mark, bidding slowed nearing the $200,000 mark, finally ending with a $225,000 bid from Stoneriggs Farm. A 4-year-old daughter of Cairo Prince out of Jersey Rules (Scat Daddy), she is a half-sister to stakes-winning Miss Brazil (Palace Malice). Consigned by Gainesway, the stakes winner sold in foal to Horse of the Year Gun Runner, already the sire of seven winners from his first crop to the races.

According to Gainesway's Brian Graves, the mare entered the sale with a $200,000 reserve Monday.

“It seems if you have something of quality by some of the top of the first-crop sires right now, they're going to buy them,” Graves said. “It doesn't matter if it's now or November.”

Explaining the mare's admission into the sale, he added, “I got a call about the mare and I was asked if this was something that I thought could sell well here and I thought, 'yes, she could.' With the popularity of [Gun Runner], I thought it was something that could work. I think if you have something of that quality, it has a chance for it to work in your favor.”

Also during yesterday's breeding stock session, Stoneriggs secured Hip 426, a daughter of Liam's Map for $45,000. Out of That Voodoo Youdo (Speightstown), the 4-year-old, who is a half-sibling to Grade III winner Opry (Declaration of War) and graded placed Candace O (Declaration of War), was consigned by agent Candy Meadows Sales. The grey was sold in foal to freshman sire Lord Nelson.

The 417-acre property Stoneriggs Farm, formerly Kilflynn Farm, was purchased in April by Florida businessman Robert Slack, founder of Robert Slack LLC, a Florida real estate brokerage.

Lynch Secures Colonial Creed…

Bloodstock agent Andrew Lynch took home the July Breeding Stock Sale's second highest-priced offering, the $175,000 Colonial Creed (Jimmy Creed) (Hip 434). The 5-year-old mare sold as a broodmare prospect.

“I bought her for a new client and hopefully she will be bred to Justify next year,” Lynch said. “I loved her race record. She is graded-placed. She is a fantastic individual with a great walk to her. Hopefully she will be a good broodmare.”

A three-time winner, Colonial Creed was third in both the 2019 GII Summertime Oaks and the GIII Megahertz S. earlier this term. She was third when last seen in the Golden Poppy S. at Golden Gate Apr. 24 and retires with a record of 17-3-4-4 and earnings of $223,881.

Out of the unraced Scat Daddy mare Neverthesame, Colonial Creed is a half-sister to SW & GSP Mo D'Amour (Uncle Mo). —@CDeBernardisTDN

Grant Jumps into the Fray Early at Fasig-Tipton July…

The action had barely gotten rolling at Monday's Fasig-Tipton July Breeding Stock session when Stuart Grant of The Elkstone Group went to $150,000 for Hip 421, a daughter of Too Much Bling out of stakes winner Kimbell's Prada (Authenticate). The bid represented the third-highest price of the breeding stock session. Consigned by Stuart Morris, agent for Far From Over/Fountain of Youth Dispersal, the 8-year-old mare was sold with her 2021 Violence filly alongside and is back in foal to the Hill 'n Dale sire.

“She had a really beautiful foal, that's what attracted me,” said Grant. “The foal really sold the mare. When a mare produces a foal like that, it can only help the mare.”

Grant, who indicated he owns shares in the hot young stallion, continued, “There is a Violence in her belly, and I own a couple of shares of Violence. If she keeps producing foals like this one, I'll be very happy.”

Asked if the price tag was what he had in mind, he said, “She was the one I really loved [in the broodmare session]. I thought she would bring less, I stretched to get her. If somebody had gone to $150-200,000, she would have been gone. So, that was top dollar for me.”

Earlier in the session, Grant purchased Hip 402, Medea (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), privately post sale for $40,000. A two-time Grade III winner, the 12-year-old mare is a half-sister to three-time Grade I winner High Yield (Storm Cat). Already responsible for a 2-year-old unraced colt by Classic Empire and a yearling colt by Mastery, she was sold in foal to Violence.

“I really like Violence, he stands for $25,000 so I thought she was good value.,” he said. “I definitely thought that one slipped through.”

Able to secure two out of three on his wish list during yesterday breeding stock session, Grant was pragmatic about the market on a whole.

“This is not the time that people sell broodmares, so it is a bit difficult to assess the market,” he opined. “I'm here trying to get some breeding stock and I was hoping a few would slip by, although I got pushed to my maximum on my top pick. So I guess even though people might not be here for breeding stock, if they see something they like then they'll take a shot.”

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EQUITANA USA Tickets on Sale

Tickets are on sale for EQUITANA USA, scheduled for Oct. 1-3 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The event hosts equestrian professionals and enthusiasts of all riding levels, ages, disciplines and breeds. Each session will feature education, entertainment and a trade fair featuring riding equipment and apparel, horse care supplies, gifts, etc.

For more information, visit www.equitanausa.com.

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