“He was sent to Rood and Riddle yesterday morning to determine the exact cause of the ataxia,” said Elliott Walden, president, CEO, and racing manager of WinStar Farm. “He was responding well to treatment, but went to lie down in his stall, and fell awkwardly. As a result, he broke his right tibia, which could not be repaired.”

Improbable won three consecutive Grade I races in 2020, taking the GI Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita, the GI Whitney S. at Saratoga and the GI Awesome Again S. at Santa Anita en route to Eclipse honors at season's end.

Undefeated at two, Improbable broke his maiden at first asking at 'The Great Race Place' in late September of 2018. He followed that up with a score in the Street Sense S. at Churchill Downs in early November, which earned him a 'TDN Rising Star' badge for the effort.

Improbable winning the Whitney | Sarah Andrew

Improbable's juvenile year ended with a five-length win going 1 1/16 in the GI Los Alamitos Futurity. His time of 1:41.18 was the fastest in over a decade.

A stakes winner each season from two to four, Improbable concluded his career with a runner-up finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in 2020.

All told, he won seven starts, six of them stakes, and earned $2,729,520 for owners WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and SF Racing.

“These horses are our life, and we work every day to take care of them the best way we know how,” said Dr. Natanya Nieman, general manager and resident veterinarian at WinStar Farm. “The whole team is reeling. Improbable gave us many great moments to share with our partners, our team, and the whole racing community. It is tragic.”

Bred in Kentucky by St. George Farm and G. Watts Humphrey Jr., Improbable was acquired by Maverick Racing and China Horse Club for $200,000 out of the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at the 2017 Keeneland September Sale.

Out of the A.P. Indy mare Rare Event, the 8-year-old stallion was bred to 329 mares in his first two books and is represented by his initial crop of 2-year-olds this year, including a colt out of the stakes-placed Inaugurate (Empire Maker) that was purchased by trainer Jimmy DiVito, agent, for $475,000.

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The post West Point, D J Stable Strike for $1.2M Tapit Colt from Lothenbach Dispersal appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Previously going for $200,000 during Keeneland September, the Chad Brown trainee is out of GSP Divine Dawn (Divine Park), who International Equities acquired with a filly by Nyquist in-utero for $285,000 at the Keeneland November Sale in 2017.

A full-sister to GSW/MSW Divine Miss Grey, Top Conor's dam is also responsible for 2-year-old filly Augusta Wind (Gun Runner), who Lauren Carlisle signed the ticket for $850,000 at the Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. Divine Dawn foaled a full-sister to this first time starter last year. TJCIS PPS

6th-FG, $65K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6F, 3:25 p.m. ET.
Whisper Hill and Three Chimneys bred Quality Credit (Quality Road), a filly whose MGISW dam Stopchargingmaria (Tale of the Cat) changed hands from the latter to the former for $4.4 million as the second topper at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale while she was in-foal to Tapit, will be unveiled here. Three Chimneys purchased Quality Credit's younger full-sister for $425,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale. TJCIS PPS

7th-FG, $65K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 3:54 p.m. ET.
Along the same Steve Asmussen shedrow as Quality Credit, Stonestreet homebred Mister Lincoln (Constitution) also makes the races. The colt is out of 'TDN Rising Star' GI Spinaway S. victress Hot Dixie Chick (Dixie Union), who produced a pair of 'TDN Rising Stars' in MSW/GSP Union Jackson (Curlin) and his full-brother SP Marsalis as well as GI La Troienne S. heroine Pauline's Pearl (Tapit). Hot Dixie Chick has her own set of talented half-siblings in GI Kentucky Derby hero Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) and GII Demoiselle S. winner Positive Spirt (Pioneerof the Nile). TJCIS PPS

The post Saturday Insights: A ‘Top’-Priced Son Of Twirling Candy Debuts At Gulfstream appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The OBS March grad made her debut a winning one as she streaked to a gate-to-wire finish by 6 1/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park in early August. Stepping into optional claiming company over the same surface Sept. 22, the filly was equally as potent when she won by 5 3/4 lengths.

On her home floor last fall, the bay took on Florida sire stakes company and won going seven furlongs in the Susan's Girl S. Oct. 21, but ran out of steam at a mile and sixteenth as the runner-up in the My Dear Girl S. Dec. 2.

Cutting back and as the 2-1 second choice here, the 3-year-old was content to allow Fiona's Magic (St Patrick's Day) to show the way up the backstretch. R Harper Rose kept close tabs on the leader and around the far turn she was given her cue. With a fluid, sweeping move, she took control at the quarter pole and ran on professionally to collect her first graded stakes win as the early pacesetter was second.

“She's so fast but she can settle, and back doing what she wants to do going one turn,” said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

“I'm just proud of her today. Everything went right into this race, and she showed it today. Edgar [Zayas] was very patient. They broke well, [Fiona's Magic] wanted the lead and he didn't force the issue. I think the first three-eighths of the race it worked to our advantage. It wasn't a crazy pace.

“This is it for her, one turn. We're not going to experiment. Last time things didn't go right but we're going to keep her to one turn. There's a lot of races for her at one turn.”

Pedigree Notes:
This is multiple leading Florida sire Khozan's fourth stateside graded stakes winner out of six crops of racing age. The winner's dam registered a foal last year when she produced a filly by Leinster, but True Bliss was not bred for this season. Her half-siblings include MSW Cherokee Triangle (Cherokee Run) and GSW Hierro (Hard Spun), who Stonestreet acquired for $350,000 at the OBS Select 2-Year-Old Sale in 2011.

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
FORWARD GAL S.-GIII, $145,000, Gulfstream, 2-3, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:24.34, ft.
1–R HARPER ROSE, 120, f, 3, by Khozan
                1st Dam: True Bliss, by Yes It's True
                2nd Dam: Brief Bliss, by Navarone
                3rd Dam: Annul, by Conquistador Cielo
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($16,000 Ylg '22 OBSOCT; $60,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR). O-Averill Racing LLC and Two Eight Racing LLC; B-Sally J. Andersen (FL); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.; J-Edgard J. Zayas. $86,725. Lifetime Record: 5-4-1-0, $344,025. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Fiona's Magic, 120, f, 3, St Patrick's Day–Mollie's Magic, by Factum. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Stonehedge LLC (FL); T-Michael Yates. $30,750.
3–Chi Chi, 120, f, 3, Audible–Simply Confection, by Candy Ride (Arg). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($47,000 RNA Ylg '22 OBSWIN). O-Sam Wilensky; B-France Weiner (FL); T-Herman Wilensky. $16,375.
Margins: 2, 1 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 2.20, 5.30, 24.30.
Also Ran: Scalable, Nikitis, Witwatersrand. Scratched: Kissedbyanangel.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

With her ears up, #FLBred R HARPER ROSE (Khozan) wins the GIII Forward Gal at @GulfstreamPark! pic.twitter.com/mZnsjB13lG

— TDN (@theTDN) February 3, 2024

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Today we caught up with Williams S. Sparks of Monroe, Louisiana. Originally from Arkansas where he grew up attending Oaklawn races with his grandfather, Sparks has assembled a band which reflects his philosophy of breeding to race.

“I'm really deeply committed to breeding a sound racehorse who is going to do what they do best–run,” said Sparks. “Regional breeding and racing are the backbone of this business and I love it. I wish I didn't so much, but I do.”

The Monroe dealership owner boards with Sara Patterson of Cedar Run Farm in Arkansas and with Wayne and Cathy Sweezey in Kentucky, and utilizes Ron Moquett as his conditioner.

BESS (8, Mineshaft–Brenda Leigh, by Forest Wildcat) will be bred to Petrov
This is a hard-knocking mare who made almost $300,000 over 38 starts. I bought Bess as a yearling and raced her until she was claimed away. Ron Moquett and I bought her back. She is in foal to Beau Liam and is in the Arkansas breeding program. Like a lot of other folks, I am impressed with the look of these Petrov foals.

Gunite | Sara Gordon

DANCE FOR DADDY (8, Scat Daddy–Dance to the Sea, by Gone West) will be bred to Gunite
I have bred speed into this mare and her last couple of offspring speak to that, including 3-year-old colt Ceepeegee (Army Mule). This colt broke his maiden in September, and my partner Keith Johnston and I are excited about his prospects. I had actually entered him at last April's OBS and once my wife and I saw him there she asked, “why exactly are you selling this horse?”

Dance For Daddy is currently in foal to Volatile. The next move is to send her to Gunite with hopes for a precocious foal. This mare has shown she can get an early runner. Gunite is a grand-looking horse who proved himself a fighter at the races. I hope he passes that on.

FINE FAMILY (5, Upstart–Great Family, by Harlan's Holiday) will be bred back to Girvin
I was fortunate enough to partner with Bret Jones of Airdrie Stud in racing Fine Family. She is in foal to Girvin for this year and I think the plan is to go back to him. Bret obviously knows what he is doing, so I am just following his lead. Girvin is certainly proving to be a successful sire.

MARTZ (12, Scat Daddy–Opulent, by Meadowlake) will be bred to either Complexity, Nashville or Yaupon
Ron Moquett picked out Martz as a 2-year-old at OBS. We raced her and kept her to breed. She is a big, strong mare who throws lovely foals. I have an affinity for Scat Daddy mares. Martz's best foal so far is MSP Sarah Harper (Vancouver {Aus}) who's mating recommendation was the product of John Prather. Martz has big, nice yearling colt by Astern (Aus), and we are going to breed her to speed. I am certainly liking what I am seeing from both Complexity and Yaupon.

MAXINE'S TAP ROOM (8, Bourbon Courage–Sunday In Malibu, by Malibu Moon) will be bred to The Big Beast
This is a stakes-placed mare who was quick, but who unfortunately had an abbreviated racing career. She's in the Arkansas breeding program and alternates between Arkansas and Kentucky stallions. The Big Beast is going to be a super addition to Arkansas and I'm a fan of the good-looking son of Yes It's True.

Fine Family | Coady Photography

SARAH HARPER (6, Vancouver (Aus)–Martz, by Scat Daddy) will be bred to Nyquist or Street Sense
Our plan with Sarah Harper is to have her compete at Oaklawn this spring and then she will head to the breeding shed. She's just been spectacular and nicks well with a lot of stallions. Wayne [Sweezey] and I are talking it over, but Nyquist or Street Sense are our options in that order.

TIPAZAR (9, Tapizar–Tipsy At Midnight, by Midnight Lute) will be bred to The Big Beast
I raced this mare in partnership with my friend Jim Brown. We are breeding Tipazar in the Arkansas program, and the plan is to continue to alternate every other year with that state entity and then with a Kentucky stallion.

TRIP MOM (16, El Corredor–Fifty Mil Short, by Johannesburg) will be bred to either Highly Motivated or Runhappy
Trip Mom, who I have bred and raced in the Arkansas program, was recommended to me by the late pedigree consultant, Les Brinsfield. Upon entering the business, I had the good fortune to meet Les, and also John Prather through friends George Waggoner and Monty Hinton. They provided me with valuable guidance and endless hours of pedigree discussion.

Interested in sharing your own mating plans? Email garyking@thetdn.com.

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By the numbers, a total of 175 yearlings sold for $3,240,000. The figures represented a decrease from 2022 when 161 sold for a record $3,416,000 in gross receipts. This term, the average was $18,542, while the median was $11,000 and 77 horses reported not sold.

Foster Bridewell, Director of Horse Sales for the TTA, said of the auction, “Three of our top five offerings were Texas-breds, so that was good to see,” he said. “This was one of our largest catalogs in the history of this sale and we had buyers from several key quadrants–Kentucky, Ocala, California and across the Lone Star State.”

A Practical Topper For Al Pike

Offered as hip 122, the dark bay was purchased by Al Pike, acting as agent. The Apr. 30 foal is out of SW Jan's Perfect Star (Imperialism), dam of UAE Jebel Ali Sprint hero Road Bloc (Street Sense). The native Texan from Palestine, and his wife Salley, relocated this past summer to Highlander Training Center, outside of Dallas. A regular on the pinhooking scene, Pike frequents a bevy of juvenile sales, including OBS March, Fasig-Tipton Midlantic and the Texas 2-Year-Old In-Training Sale.

Practical Joke colt (hip 122) | Olivia Friesen/TTA Sale

Pike said he saw this yearling as an opportunity.

“This one is for me and partners,” said Pike. “I thought he was a stunning Practical Joke, beautiful horse, and I think he's going to grow to be really special. It's just the Practical Joke that sold it and he had some pedigree too. I just thought he was a beautiful colt. This will be one to pinhook for the spring and we'll probably look to go to OBS March.”

Bred by Michael and Linda Mazoch of Texas, the colt was consigned by Scott Mallory, agent.

“He came from Buena Madera and they always do an excellent job in preparing the horses for the sale,” Mallory said. “And it makes it a whole lot easier when you get to the sale because they are well presented. With the recent success of Practical Joke, we kind of thought he'd be fairly popular with the sale. He vetted good, handled himself well up there. And with Texas coming up with the $40,000 maiden special weights, we knew that would add an extra bid or two. I didn't quite think he'd bring $110,000, but I'm happy about it. We thought he'd sell well–I thought he'd sell for $70,000 or $80,000, but $110,000 is excellent.”

Vekoma Colt Takes Home Silver

Late in the session, hip 260, a chestnut colt by Vekoma, brought $90,000 from pinhooker David Scanlon. Out of Winning Saga (Tale of the Cat), the May 12 foal was raised and prepped at Elm Tree Farm in Kentucky and consigned by agent Scott Mallory, who also consigned the topper.

“This colt just showed well the whole time, he had a great disposition, he just looks like he is going to turn into a really beautiful 2-year-old and he was bred by Dr. Fred Willis from Louisiana,” said Mallory.

Competitive Edge Colt Reminds Asmussen of Ryvit

The third highest-priced yearling of the session was taken home by Steve Asmussen's KDE Equine for $85,000. Hip 24, consigned by Highlander Training, was bred by Valor Farm in Pilot Point, Texas.

Ryvit schooling at Saratoga with Erik Asmussen up | Sarah Andrew

The Feb. 16 foal is the first foal out of unraced Better Than Mo (Uncle Mo), who counts MSW More Than Most (Indygo Mountain), MSW Worldventurer (Wimbledon) and GIII Miss Preakness S. scorer Red Ghost (Ghostzapper) as half-siblings. His third dam MGISP Alysbelle (Alydar) is a full-sister to Horse of the Year Alysheba.

Asmussen indicated Monday's purchase was prompted by another Texas sale graduate, GIII Chick Lang S. victor Ryvit (Competitive Edge).

“A couple of years ago, I got Ryvit out of this sale,” explained the Hall of Famer. “I think that there are blue collar horses and they have to earn their keep. And it had everything to do that he reminded me of Ryvit. Just a very sturdy and athletic-looking horse and, hopefully, we can create a similar circumstance.”

On behalf of his client Whispering Oaks, Asmussen also purchased hip 110, a Louisiana-bred colt by Spun to Run out of SP Hilarious Brown (Big Brown) for $80,000, in addition to a dark bay filly by Competitive Edge out of Conquest Bebop (Scat Daddy) (hip 51), who also brought $80,000.

Complete sales results can be found here.

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Also looking to make her mark first time out, Catherine Wheel (Into Mischief) is an OBS April alum who fetched $725,000. She hails from an extended female family which includes GI Belmont S. winners Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy) and Arcangelo (Arrogate). Joining this pair is Ella Elizabeth (Take Charge Indy), who sold to Gus King for $510,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Old Sale. A full sister to GSW and MGSP Take Charge Paula, the Chad Brown trainee gets the services of Joel Rosario. TJCIS PPS

5th-ELP, $70K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 4:37 p.m.
Heading to the Pea Patch, $675,000 OBS April grad Blitz (Uncle Mo) debuts for Gary Barber and DJ Stable. The dark bay filly, out of GSW Customer Base (Lemon Drop Kid), is trained by Mark Casse and will be ridden by Cristian Torres. She drilled :48.00 Aug. 5 at Ellis (4f, 7/49) in preparation for this start.

Also entered is Movin' On Up (Accelerate), who is a well-connected Harvey Clarke Racing Stables homebred. Trained by Brendan Walsh and ridden by Martin Garcia, the gray filly is the first offspring out of Stifle Yourself (Cairo Prince). Second dam Gloria S. (Tapit) produced GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup winner Harvey's Lil Goil (American Pharoah) and she counts GI Kentucky Derby victor I'll Have Another (Flower Alley) and MGSW Golden Award (Medaglia d'Oro) as half siblings. TJCIS PPS

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After settling down in the gate, the bay colt briefly broke outward, but flashed some strong early foot to seize the lead up the backstretch. Immediately distancing himself from the rest of the field, the Bob Baffert trainee poured on the power around the far turn. Into the stretch, despite the efforts of El Magnifico (Street Sense) and Harry Houdini, Juan Hernandez geared his mount down en route to break his maiden by 8 3/4 lengths.

The winner, who tied and OBS sale record when he was purchased by Amr Zedan, breezed during the under tack show in March going a furlong in :9 3/5.

The first of Hoppa's offspring to make the races, she also has a yearling filly by Violence and foaled a filly by Tacitus May 10. Second dam Handoverthecat (Tale of the Cat) passed away in 2017. Third dam Frayne (Red Ransom), who was sent to Saudi Arabia in 2011, is a full-sister to GSW Wandering Star.

Muth is the second 'Rising Star' for sire Good Magic, with other being Blazing Sevens, who was second in this year's GI Preakness S.

2nd-Santa Anita, $61,500, Msw, 6-18, 2yo, 5f, :57.29, ft, 8 3/4 lengths.
MUTH, c, 2, by Good Magic
                1st Dam: Hoppa by Uncle Mo
                2nd Dam: Handoverthecat by Tale of the Cat
                3rd Dam: Frayne, by Red Ransom
Sales History: $190,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $2,000,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

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1st-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5f, 1:05 p.m.
On Belmont's Sunday card, a juvenile named Wine On Tap (Tapit) makes her debut for Todd Pletcher. The gray filly, who cost $600,000 at the Keeneland September sale last fall, is the first offspring to make the races for GSW Princess La Quinta. Out of a female family which includes multi-million dollar Japanese earner Washington Color (Black Tie Affair), Wine On Tap gets the services of Irad Ortiz Jr. from post four. TJCIS PPS

8th-SA, $61K, Msw, 3yo-5yo, 6f, 6:30 p.m.
Another Bob Baffert trainee, this one a 3-year-old, makes his first start Sunday at Santa Anita. Fifth Street (Quality Road) fetched $950,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling sale. The bay colt's dam is a half-sister to Champion turf female and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Rushing Fall (More Than Ready). Also drawn in is stablemate Extortion (Into Mischief), who was purchased for $1 million at the '22 Keeneland November sale by Gandharvi LLC. He will be making his second start after a fourth-place debut May 29 at Santa Anita. TJCIS PPS

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