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$1.25-Million Quality Road Colt Tops OBS Spring Sale’s Final Session

Hip No. 1018, a son of Quality Road consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc., (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, went to Ben McElroy, Agent for Arman Shah, for $1.25 million to top the fourth and final session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2020 Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

The bay colt, who breezed a quarter in :20 3/5 at Friday's under tack session, is a half-brother to graded stakes-placed stakes winner Standard Deviation out of False Impression, by A.P. Indy.

Hip No. 1312, Fortunate Son, a son of Speightster consigned by Tom McCrocklin, Agent, was purchased by OXO Equine LLC for $1.1 million. The chestnut colt, who breezed a quarter on Saturday in :20 4/5, is out of stakes-placed Auspicious, by Indian Charlie, a half-sister to graded stakes-placed Flatter Than Me.
Hip No. 1298, a son of California Chrome consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, went to West Bloodstock for Repole Stable Inc./St. Elias Stable for $725,000. The gray or roan colt, who turned in an under tack quarter on Friday in :20 3/5, is out of Diva Style, by Unbridled's Song, a half-sister to classic contender Tiz the Law.

Hip No. 1299, a daughter of Liam's Map consigned by Cary Frommer LLC, Agent, who worked Friday's fastest eighth in :9 4/5, was sold to Rigney Racing LLC for $700,000. The dark bay or brown filly is out of Ebony Moment, by Smart Strike, a daughter of graded stakes winner Ebony Breeze.
Hip No. 953, a son of Not This Time consigned by Julie Davies LLC, Agent, was sold to Marc Tacher for $575,000. The chestnut colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat on Friday, is out of Delightful Melody, by Tapit, a daughter of graded stakes winner Bending Strings.
Hip No. 982, a son of Shackleford consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, went to Justin Casse, Agent, for $550,000. The chestnut colt, who sped a quarter in :20 3/5 on Friday, is a half-brother to champion Monomoy Girl and current 3-year-old graded stakes winner Mr. Monomoy out of Drumette, by Henny Hughes.
Hip No. 1175, a son of Kantharos who breezed an under tack eighth in :10 flat on Saturday, was sold to Frank Fletcher Racing Operations for $500,000. Consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, the chestnut colt is out of Illicit Affair, by Midnight Lute, a daughter of champion Silverbulletday.
Summer Wind Equine paid $500,000 for Hip No. 1310, a daughter of Malibu Moon whose quarter in :20 3/5 was co-fastest at the distance on Saturday. The bay filly, consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, is out of stakes placed Iroquois Girl, by Indian Charlie, a half-sister to graded stakes winner Salty Strike.
Joseph Brocklebank, Agent, went to $475,000 for Hip No. 1060, a daughter of Empire Maker consigned by Halcyon Hammock Farm, Agent. The bay filly, who worked an eighth in :10 flat on Saturday, is out of Full Tap, by Tapit, a daughter of stakes winner Miss Challenge.
Hip No. 1149, a son of Hard Spun consigned by Eisaman Equine, Agent, was purchased for $400,000 by Belladonna Racing II, LLC. The dark bay or brown filly, who turned in an under tack eighth on Saturday in :10 flat, is out of High Wire Act, by Medallist, a half-sister to graded stakes-placed stakes winner Not Abroad.
Hip No. 1314, a son of Flatter also consigned by Tom McCrocklin, was sold for $400,000 to J. A. S. The bay colt, who turned in a quarter in :20 4/5 on Saturday, is a full-brother to graded stakes-winning OBS graduate Favorable Outcome out of stakes winner Shananies Song, by Eltish.

For the day, 161 horses brought a total of $18,514,500 compared with 155 selling for a total of $16,728,000 last year. The average price was $114,997, up 6.5 percent compared to $107,923 in 2019, while the median price was $50,000, identical to last year's figure. The buyback percentage was 15.7 percent; it was 22.5 percent in 2019.

For the entire sale, 635 horses sold for a total of $58,905,000 compared with 674 horses bringing a sale record $72,945,000 in 2019. The average price was $92,764, compared with 2019's sale record $108,227. The median was $50,000 compared with last year's record $60,000. The buyback percentage was 18.4 percent; it was 19.8 percent a year ago.

The overall sale-topper was Hip No. 1254, a daughter of Not This Time consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent, sold to Gary Young for $1.35 million to top the sale's second session. The bay filly, whose quarter in :20 1/5 was the sale's fastest at the distance, is out of graded stakes winner Sheza Smoke Show, by Wilko, a daughter of stakes winner Avery Hall.

Next on the OBS agenda is the July Sale of 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age, rescheduled from its June dates and now set for July 14 -16. The under tack show is scheduled for July 6 -11.

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

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Wonder Gadot Voted Canadian Horse Of The Year

The Jockey Club of Canada hosted the 44th Annual Sovereign Awards ceremony on Thursday, April 18, 2019 at Vaughan's elegant Chateau Le Jardin.

The top three finalists in each category are determined by the online ballots of the Jockey Club of Canada's knowledgeable voters. The media category award finalists were determined by the Professors of Humber School of Media Studies and Information Technology, in Toronto, Ontario.

The Jockey Club of Canada is pleased to announce the 2018 Sovereign Award winners in the order in which they were presented.

(Media) Outstanding Photograph:

Santino Di Paola – Into the Turn
Published, ontarioracing.com

(Media) Outstanding Writing:

Hayley Morrison – Hail to the War Horses
Published, Canadian Thoroughbred Magazine, February 2018

(Media) Outstanding Digital Audio/Visual & Broadcast:

Horse Racing Radio Network – 159th Queen's Plate
Published, horseracingradio.net

The Jockey Club of Canada Scholarship Award: Bobby Mihalik

Bobby Mihalik earned the inaugural award at the School of Media Studies and Information Technology, Humber Institute of Advanced Technology and Advanced Learning.
Mihalik's lifelong passion for writing is driven by the enjoyment of learning about editing for both print and online. He shared that his time as editor-in-chief of his class's summer newsroom “was also enjoyable for me as it helped develop both my editing and proofreading skills, as well as how to effectively manage others.”

Outstanding Groom Award: Amanda Erwin

Amanda has been working on the racetrack since she was 10-years-old on the backstretch with her father, trainer Dennis Erwin, walking hots and learning about grooming. She was a teenager when she moved to the stable of successful trainer Mike Keogh, whom she continues to work for today.
During her career, Amanda groomed Canadian stars such as the 2003 Horse of the Year Wando, who became the seventh Canadian Triple Crown winner since the series was inaugurated in 1959. She also cared for the 1999 Queen's Plate winner and Champion 3-year-old Woodcarver. “There is something so special about seeing a racehorse from a young age and watching them develop,” said Erwin. “I strive to keep the horses happy, calm and enjoy their job.”

Outstanding Handicapper: Nick Noce

Nick Noce has always been fond of Woodbine. On July 21, 2018 he finished first of 106 entries in Woodbine's Mid-Summer Horseplayers Tournament. “I just love Woodbine. I don't usually miss one of their tournaments,” said Noce, who first began playing contests at Penn National in the 1990s.

Nick has always been a racing fan, and the Rochester, New York resident has also worked in the industry for 25 years. He started out at Western Regional Off-Track Betting selling pari-mutuel tickets to Western New York State horseplayers, and eventually worked his way up to Chief Financial Officer.

No longer working in the industry Nick, a self-professed “weekend warrior”, still looks for any opportunity to spend a day playing the races.
E. P. Taylor Award of Merit: Gustav Schickedanz

Arriving in Canada at the age of 21, Gustav (Gus) Schickedanz built a successful career in land development as a bricklayer and stonemason.

Gus first purchased Canadian-bred yearlings at auction in the 1970s and prepared them to race at his Schonberg Farm in Nobleton, ON. In a matter of years he achieved his first stakes win with Victorious Answer, who also became his foundation broodmare.

Gus' successful homebred Langfuhr, was a multiple graded stakes winner and the 1996 Champion Male Sprinter. As a sire, Langfuhr produced six champions including Wando, the seventh winner of the Canadian Triple Crown and 2003 Horse of the Year and Woodcarver, Champion Three-Year-Old Male and winner of the 1999 Queen's Plate.

Gus has bred multiple graded stakes winners including Gal In A Ruckus the only Canadian bred to win the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks Stakes and Jambalaya, the only Canadian bred to win the Grade 1 Arlington Million Handicap. Gus has also won multiple Sovereign Awards as an owner and breeder and was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2009.

Outstanding Broodmare: In Return

Horse Chestnut (Saf) – Bartered Bride, by Shadeed
Progeny Earnings $1,953,593
Owner: Ivan Dalos
Breeder: Tall Oaks Farm

The late In Return was a winner on the track and a true gem in her breeding career. Her sons Channel Maker and Johnny Bear are both champions and Grade 1 winners. Channel Maker, 2017 Champion Three-Year-Old, won the 2018 Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park and the Grade 2 Bowling Green Stakes at Saratoga. Johnny Bear won the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes in 2018 for the second consecutive year and is the 2017 Champion Turf Male.
In Return (101), Loving Vindication (86), Avie's Empire (28)

Outstanding Apprentice Jockey: Kazushi Kimura

Starts (663); Wins (104); Seconds (84); Thirds (84)
Earnings $2,451,326; Stakes win 1

It has been more than a decade since Canadian racing has had an apprentice jockey as dominant as Kazushi Kimura was in 2018. He learned to ride when he was just six-years-old at his parents training centre in Japan and polished his riding skills before arriving at Woodbine in 2018, winning his first race in June of that year. Other career highlights came with his first stakes victory in the Muskoka Stakes as well as, winning five races in one day on October 12th.
Kazushi Kimura (157), Daisuke Fukumoto (75), Lenny A. Seecharan (28)

Champion Older Male: Mr Havercamp

DK. B. or B. g. 4 / Sire: Court Vision / Dam: Tennessee Lamb (Medaglia d'Oro)
Trainer: Catherine Day Phillips
Owner: Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry
Breeder: Sean Fitzhenry
2018: 6 Starts – 3 wins – 1 seconds – 0 third – $513,500
Winner: Autumn S. (G2), Play the King S. (G2), Steady Growth S.

Mr Havercamp (123), Pink Lloyd (49), Tiz a Slam (38)

Champion Older Female: Escape Clause

B. f. 4 / Sire: Going Commando / Dam: Danger Pay (Circulating)
Trainer: Don Schnell
Owner: Don Schnell, Barry Arnason and True North
Breeder: Cam Ziprick & Arnason Farms
2018: 13 Starts – 9 wins – 1 second – 2 thirds – $265,419
Winner: Kathryn Crosby S., CTHS Sales S., Lynn Chouinard Founders Distaff H., Manitoba Matron S., City of Edmonton Distaff H., Distaff S., Winnipeg Sun S., Allowance Optional Claiming, La Verendrye S.

Escape Clause (102), Gamble's Ghost (81), Starship Jubilee (45)

Outstanding Trainer: Mark Casse

Starts (Can) 517; Wins (106); Seconds (81); Thirds (74)
Earnings $5,812,969; Stakes wins 22

A 10-time winner of this award, Mark Casse had another blockbuster season in 2018 with 106 Canadian winners and an incredible 22 stakes wins. Wonder Gadot stood at the top of her game winning the first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown. Casse completed the series with Neepawa's win the Breeder's Stakes. Also, among Casse's stakes winners is Lookin to Strike and Shamrock Rose, the winner of the La Lorgnette Stakes who went on to win the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

Mark Casse (134), Norman McKnight (70), Kevin Attard (29)

Champion Male Turf Horse: Mr Havercamp

Mr Havercamp (126), Johnny Bear (75), Tiz a Slam (61)

Champion Female Turf Horse: Starship Jubilee

B. f. 4 / Sire: Indy Wind / Dam: Perfectly Wild (Forest Wildcat)
Trainer: Kevin Attard
Owner: Blue Heaven Farm
Breeder: William P. Sorren
2018: 8 Starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 0 third – $319,400
Winner: Canadian S. (G2), Starter Optional Claiming, Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf S.

Starship Jubilee (143), Niigon's Eclipse (37), Dixie Moon (32)

Outstanding Breeder: Tall Oaks Farm

Starters 48; Winners 27
Earnings $2,957,008
Starts (280); Wins (49); Seconds (32); Thirds (31)

A three-time finalist in this category, Tall Oaks Farm, owned by Ivan Dalos had another stellar season with nine stakes horses and five are 2018 Sovereign Award finalists. Dalos, bred two Grade 1 winners, Channel Maker winner of the 2018 Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Invitational and Johnny Bear, the winner of the 2017 and 2018 Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes. Tall Oaks Farm campaigned homebreds Avie's Flatter, Avie's Mineshaft and Gamble's Ghost in 2018.

Tall Oaks Farm (85), Adena Springs (64), Chiefswood Stables Limited (60)

Champion Two-Year-Old Male: Avie's Flatter

B. c. 2 / Sire: Flatter / Dam: Avie's Empire (Empire Maker)
Trainer: Josie Carroll
Owner: Ivan Dalos
Breeder: Tall Oaks Farm
2018: 4 Starts – 3 wins – 0 second – 0 third – $328,800
Winner: Coronation Futurity S., Cup and Saucer S., MSW

Avie's Flatter (143), Solidify (59), War of Will (50)

Champion Two-Year-Old Female: Bold Script

GR/RO. f. 2 / Sire: Speightstown / Dam: Original Script (Malibu Moon)
Trainer: Stuart Simon
Owner: Chiefswood Stables
Breeder: Chiefswood Stables Limited
2018: 5 Starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 2 thirds – $267,000
Winner: Princess Elizabeth S., MSW

Bold Script (93), My Gal Betty (86), Tiz Breathtaking (69)

Outstanding Jockey: Eurico Rosa Da Silva

Starts (Can) (856); Wins (237); Seconds (173); Thirds (119)
Earnings $8,345,386; Stakes wins 29

With a record-breaking season in 2018, he won his fourth consecutive Woodbine riding title and reached a career milestone winning his 2,000th race in September. Da Silva finished the season with 237 wins beating the previous record of 221 wins set in 1991. Among Da Silva's racing stars is Sovereign Award finalists Avie's Flatter, Pink Lloyd and Dixie Moon winner of the 2018 Woodbine Oaks.

Eurico Rosa Da Silva (160), Rafael Hernandez (50), Luis Contreras (30)

Champion Male Sprinter: Pink Lloyd

Ch. g. 6 / Sire: Old Forester / Dam: Gladiator Queen (Great Gladiator)
Trainer: Robert P. Tiller
Owner: Entourage Stable
Breeder: John Carey
2018: 8 Starts – 5 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third – $385,750
Winner: Kenora S., Vigil S. (G3), Achievement S., New Providence S., Jacques Cartier S.

Pink Lloyd (123), Yorkton (57), Ikerrin Road (49)

Champion Female Sprinter: Moonlit Promise

B. m. 5, by Malibu Moon – Smart Surprise (Smart Strike)
Trainer: Josie Carroll
Owner: Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. (J. G. Sikura) and Windsor Boys Racing
Breeder: Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Inc.
2018: 9 Starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 2 thirds – $226,563
Winner: Bessarabian S. (G2), Sweet Briar Too S.

Moonlit Promise (112), Code Warrior (54), Escape Clause (43)

Outstanding Owner: Chiefswood Stables Limited

Starts (146); Wins (31); Seconds (23); Thirds (25)
Earnings $2,586,506 Stakes wins 6

Winner of this award in 2017, Robert and Mark Krembil and their Chiefswood Stables had their most successful season to date in 2018. Surpassing their 2017 purse earnings by over $300,000, with six stakes wins, they finished on top of the owner's standings at Woodbine by earnings. Chiefswood Stables and their five stakes winners were all up for 2018 Sovereign Awards including Bold Script 2018 Champion Two-Year-Old Female, Neepawa, Niigon's Eclipse, Yorkton and multiple graded stakes winner Tiz a Slam.

Chiefswood Stables (100), Ivan Dalos (56), Gary Barber (53)

E. P. Taylor Award of Merit: William D. Graham

Bill became hooked on horse racing after his honeymoon trip to Gulfstream Park with his late wife Valerie. Destined for success, Bill set out to purchase top class fillies. His early acquisitions were yearlings that went on to become talented racehorses and successful broodmares. For close to 50 years in the industry, Bill built Windhaven Farms in Caledon, ON and Lexington, KY, into one of the most respected and successful breeding operations in North America.

Winning his first Sovereign Award in 1989, Bill continued his success with the 2012 Sovereign Award for Outstanding Breeder. Over the years, Bill owned and bred multiple champions including Conquest Harlanate and Uncaptured.

Bill was involved in many industry organizations over the years and was the founder of the Canadian company, Graham Brothers Construction, the builders of Woodbine's E. P. Taylor Turf Course. He was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2014.

Bill Graham passed away on January 15, 2019 at the age of 81 and is dearly missed by his family, friends and the North American Thoroughbred community.

Champion Three-Year-Old Male: Sky Promise

B. c. 3 / Sire: Sky Mesa / Dam: Maddie's Promise (Dehere)
Trainer: Robertino Diodoro
Owner: Rick Wiest, Clayton Wiest, R 6 Stable and Norman Tremblay
Breeder: Normandy Farm LLC
2018: 11 Starts – 3 wins – 2 seconds – 0 third – $280,714
Winner: British Columbia Derby (G3), Canadian Derby (G3), Manitoba Derby

Sky Promise (111), Lookin to Strike (55), Neepawa (33)

Champion Three-Year-Old Filly: Wonder Gadot

DK. B or B. f. 3 / Sire: Medaglia d'Oro / Dam: Loving Vindication (Vindication)
Trainer: Mark Casse
Owner: Gary Barber
Breeder: Anderson Farms Ont. Inc.
2018: 11 Starts – 2 wins – 4 seconds – 3 thirds – $1,403,200
Winner: Prince of Wales S., Queen's Plate S.

Wonder Gadot (160), Dixie Moon (75), Here's Hannah (19)

Horse of The Year: Wonder Gadot

Wonder Gadot (136), Pink Lloyd (30), Mr Havercamp (30), Escape Clause (24)

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Maven Becomes First North American Winner For American Pharoah

Triple Crown winner American Pharoah recorded his first winner in North America when Richard Ravin's Maven took the Friday opener at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Wesley Ward trainee, sent to post as the odds-on favorite in the 4 1/2-furlong maiden sprint, went straight to the lead under jockey Dylan Davis. The chestnut colt marked the opening quarter-mile in 22.55 seconds and the half-mile 46.10 under pressure from Lebda.

At the top of the stretch, Maven was confronted by Lebda but the chestnut comfortably kept his foe at bay to graduate first out, winning by a half-length in a final running time of 52.82 over a main track labeled fast.

“It's definitely big for breeding in North America,” Davis said. “A big thank you to Wesley Ward for continuing to use me. He's had a big impact on my career as a bug boy and continues to do so.

“With the horse being by American Pharoah, everyone expects a lot and he ran really well,” continued Davis. “I was jogging and galloping him in the mornings, so I got a good feel for him. A huge thanks to the connections, I'm sure they're looking for bigger and better things.”

Ward sent out filly Tesorina, American Pharoah's first starter in North America on Wednesday afternoon at Aqueduct, to a third-place finish.

Ward was ecstatic following Maven's triumph and said that American Pharoah's first North American winner will target the Group 2 Norfolk at Royal Ascot on June 20.

“I'm getting texts from everyone watching the race,” Ward said. “It's fantastic for racing, for Coolmore, for owner Richard Ravin and most importantly, for me. What I see is that he's going to be a good sire. The dam [Richies Party Girl] was a turf sprinter and I think this one is going to be a turf sprinter as well. He's had outstanding works over the Polytrack at Turfway which translates to turf. We'll run him in the Norfolk at Royal Ascot and hopefully we can put American Pharoah on the big scale as a sire.”

The 2015 Triple Crown winner's first overall starter was Peter Brant's Monarch of Egypt who graduated at first asking at Naas Racecourse in Ireland for trainer Aidan O'Brien.

Bred in Kentucky by Ward, Maven is the first progeny out of three-time turf stakes winning Any Given Saturday broodmare Richies Party Girl.

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‘All Systems Are Go’ For Derby Contender War Of Will After ‘Exceptionally Good’ Breeze

Gary Barber's War of Will breezed 5 furlongs in 1:00.20 over a sealed muddy surface at Keeneland Friday when the track opened at 5:30 a.m. In company with maiden winner Battle of Memphis, War of Will clocked splits of :24.40 and :48.60 and galloped out 6 furlongs in 1:13.60.

“He trained beautifully all week, and he definitely has progressed from his last breeze,” David Carroll, assistant to trainer Mark Casse, said. “All indications were that he would go exceptionally good today, and we saw that. We couldn't be any happier. All systems are go at the moment.”

With 60 qualifying points, War of Will has a guaranteed place in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) on May 4.

At Fair Grounds this year, War of Will won the Risen Star Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) and Lecomte (G3). On March 23, he was ninth in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) after losing his footing at the start. He arrived at Keeneland four days later.

On April 13 at Keeneland, War of Will breezed 5 furlongs from the gate in :59, the best of 44 at the distance.

”Each day he seems to be getting better,” Carroll said. “He cooled out beautifully this morning. (Track Superintendent Javier Barajas) put a good seal on the track and it had a really good bottom on it today. He does a tremendous job on the track.”

Carroll said no decision has been made about when War of Will would ship to Churchill Downs.

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