Bradley purchased 70% percent of La Parisienne after her December 10, 2021 debut at Deauville racecourse when she won by five lengths on the Polytrack. Almost two years later to the date, she sells across the road with Haras du Cadran as lot number 189.

“It was an impressive performance, and I was able to buy a 70% interest with her,” said Bradley. “I left her with Yann and Carlos Lerner, who obviously thought she was a very nice filly, and she proved just that. We were unlucky not to win a group race with her. She ran exceptionally well, second beaten a head in the G1 Prix Diane to Nashwa (GB), John Gosden's filly. After she ran so well there, we thought that she was a filly that we would really like to try and point for the Arc. We gave her a bit of time and she came back and ran in the Prix Vermeille, where she was third in a very troubled trip. She got boxed in, everything went wrong and she really looked like she was the best in the race. But they don't give you a best in show, they give you the win and we just didn't get it that day.”

A try in the Arc wasn't to be. “For the first time ever in the history of the Arc, I believe, she was excluded on the basis of points. She was one of two excluded. We ran in the Opera that day and it was tremendously heavy ground, which she didn't handle. She gave it a go, but just didn't handle it, and I really think that took a bit of life out of her. She came back as a 4-year-old and she ran twice, and she ran flat and I think she just decided that she had given it her all trying to be a racehorse and that was it.”

As it made the most sense to offer La Parisienne here at Deauville, Bradley decided to also offer two of his other fillies who also had good European form.

“La Parisienne was going to be selling here and I thought the other two fillies fit the marketplace, both having been Group winners in Ireland.”

Keeper of Time (left) gets up for the win in the 1000 Guineas Trial | Racingfotos

The first is Keeper of Time (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), an upset winner of the G3 1000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown for trainer John Feane, who had purchased her at Goffs February for €3,000. After that race, Bradley bought her for his racing partnership. She won a handicap race at Gulfstream and had several close finishes in stakes races. Says Bradley, “She was just a very solid usable race filly. We had a lot of fun with her. She had a condylar fracture and at the time she had it, we contemplated bringing her back but just decided to make her a broodmare. While she's 100% sound right now, she's on her way to someone's broodmare band.”

Keeper of Time sells with La Motteraye as lot 219.

Finally, there is Minaun (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who also sells with La Moterraye as lot 165, and who was the winner of the G3 Marble Hill S. over six furlongs against males. “She showed an exceptional turn of foot,” he said. “We brought her over to the States and she started on Oaks day at Belmont and absolutely exploded. It was probably one of the most exciting races I've seen a filly of mine run.” Minaun made a last-to-first move that saw her win by an eased-down three lengths, and ran the final furlong in :11.20 seconds

Minaun runs away with her US debut at Belmont | Joe Labocetta

“Then we tried to stretch her out and she's really a sprinter,” said Bradley. “The mile, mile and a sixteenth was a bit too much. I'm always trying to make these fillies into two-turn fillies, and that was my mistake. She still ran second in the Wild Applause at Saratoga. She turned in a very solid run and had some ankle issues, but by the time we got her turned around and got straightened out, her best times were behind her and while she had a solid racing career, it didn't match up to what she had done over here.

“Both she and Keeper of Time had decent careers in the States but their standout performances were here, so I thought we would showcase that. All three all well-balanced, nicely conformed fillies and I think that based on the number of looks we're getting on all three of them, they're making a lot of lists, and we'll see how they're received.”

Bradley has always been something of a Francophile, he admits.

“I've really enjoyed racing over here and I have been lucky enough to buy some nice fillies and colts out of France, and it's my favourite place to come in Europe. There's no doubt about that.”

And while it isn't the first December sale he has attended, it is the first in a long time.

“I don't think I've been here for 15 years,” he said. “Most of what I buy in Europe I buy privately, and while I've certainly bought some horses at the Arc Sale, but I haven't done a lot of work here, and it's good to be back.”

The post American Peter Bradley Makes His December Debut With a Trio of Broodmare Prospects appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Few have followed the trajectory of the career of Country Grammer (Tonalist) more closely than the well-respected Peter Bradley, who went to work on behalf of the late Paul Pompa, Jr. at the 2019 OBS April Sale. It was Bradley's name on the docket when the hammer fell in the first 20 minutes of the final day of the auction, having parted with $450,000 for the :21 flat breezer who was bred in Kentucky by Scott and Debbie Pierce.

Not Exactly A Buyer's Market

As it turned out, the record-setting 2019 OBS April Sale proved a sensational market to sell into. The overall sales-topper, a $1.3-million colt by Into Mischief–Dixie Song (Fusaichi Pegasus), sold during that final day of trade in Central Florida and was one of three to fetch seven figures. Colonel Liam was the second-priciest horse, a $1.2-million purchase by Robert and Lawana Low.

“That was one of those years when everything was selling really well, and I was trying to kind of look for a support system where it's slightly under the radar,” Bradley explained. “Colonel Liam had sold like 20 hips before this horse did [during the latter stages of the penultimate session]. And I really liked him, but I also kind of knew that he was going to be out of my price range.”

Still, the Tonalist colt had plenty of action and was unlikely to come cheap.

“I had some money to spend. I mean, I spent $450,000 on this horse, so it wasn't like I was trying to find a bargain-basement horse,” he said. “'Obvious' always stands out and, you know, the two kind of–and they weren't really knocks–but one was his sire was not the hottest thing in the world, and, two, he was a May foal. And even though he did everything right, he was pretty immature. He had a great frame on him, but he was a bit on the narrow side. He worked every bit as well as Colonel Liam if I remember correctly. He really leveled out and I don't remember him being pressed  on the gallop out. He looked like he liked his job.”

Country Grammer let down following the sale at WinStar Farm and “the horse pretty much went through his 2-year-old blues,” Bradley reported.

“He was a little wound up, so they took a little more time with him than not, which you know when to do if you've spent time with horses,” Bradley said.

Making Up For Lost Time

Country Grammer was therefore a late-debuting juvenile for Chad Brown, finishing a close fourth on the turf before breaking his maiden when switched to the dirt for the first time in November 2019. Never a factor after losing his footing at the start of the 2020 GII Fountain of Youth S. a short time before COVID-19 changed the entire racing landscape, he was third in a salty Belmont allowance–one spot behind 'TDN Rising Star' and future Dubai World Cup winner Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper)–then was up late to win the GIII Peter Pan S., with Mystic Guide back in third. Country Grammer was fifth to GI Belmont S. hero Tiz the Law (Constitution) in the GI Runhappy Travers S. that August and was sidelined before tragedy intervened.

“Chad thought he was a seriously nice horse, thought he might potentially be a Derby horse for him and that didn't quite work out of course,” said Bradley. “He was maturing and he kept going along. He came up with a little problem and we put him on the sideline and went back to WinStar. Then, sadly, in the interim, Mr. Pompa passed away. Eventually WinStar bought him from for a song.”

Part of the Pompa dispersal at the 2021 Keeneland January Sale–a draft topped by the $925,000 future Eclipse Award winner Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom)–Country Grammer was hammered down for a comparatively paltry $110,000.

“We were prepared to go to $250,000 or so for him and were very surprised we got him for $110,000,” WinStar's Elliott Walden said in a pre-World Cup interview this time last year. “We felt he could be a good handicap horse and we bought him with the intention of sending him to Bob Baffert in California because that division out there seemed a little short on numbers and it's worked out well.”

That is possibly the understatement of the century. Country Grammer's runner-up effort in the 2022 G1 Saudi Cup and subsequent World Cup success netted him better than $10 million. He parlayed a dominating victory in the GII San Antonio S. Dec. 26 into yet another $3.5-million payday in Riyadh behind the reopposing Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) last month and would surge past $21 million in earnings with a win this weekend.

Pete Bradley will be watching Saturday's race with keen interest, hoping that the horse he took a chance on nearly four years ago continues to validate his high opinion of him.

“That's what I do for a living–I'm a talent scout when it comes right down to it,” Bradley said.

The post ‘Grammer’ Lessons–Part II appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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It had been suggested that La Parisienne would be trained in America at some point in her career but part-owner Peter Bradley revealed on Monday that the filly will remain in the care of the father and son team of Carlos and Yann Lerner.

Reflecting on Sunday's race, Bradley told TDN Europe, “It was a bit gut-wrenching but, when you lose to a filly like Nashwa, you know it represented a huge step up from La Parisienne.”

He added, “It was amazing how Gérald Mosse rode her and, when he asked her to quicken, she produced a huge run. You really can't ask much more than for horse and rider to do their best and that they did.”

Bradley thinks La Parisienne possesses a lot of the key attributes needed to excel in America but admitted that the lure of some of the top races in France, including the Arc, is enough for connections to leave the star filly in training there.

Kentucky-based Bradley said, “Most of the time when I buy a horse, the plan is for them to come to America in the relatively near future and, judging by her first race, after which we bought her, she certainly looked like she had the turn of foot you love to see in American turf racing. 

“In America, you absolutely need a turn of foot because of our short straights, but in Europe, the straights are much bigger and a horse who grinds it out can get there.”

He added, “She looks like she would be a good fit for America and the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. would have been a good race for her but the timeframe rules that out because there is only three weeks until that race. 

“Coming into the French Oaks, the way she had been training, I really felt that she'd finish top six or seven and, with the talent in the race, said that, if she ran a top three finish, I'd be exceedingly happy. Given the way she ran, finishing a short neck behind one of the best fillies in Europe, she stamped herself as a filly who needs to stay in France.”

La Parisienne will be aimed at the Prix Vermeille at ParisLongchamp next with Bradley revealing that her trainers believe the best is yet to come from the filly.

He said, “We will give her an easy summer and maybe look at the Prix Vermeille then we'll see what October holds. We'll look at the Prix de l'Opéra and the Arc wouldn't be out of the question. 

“Team Lerner think she will be better with cut in the ground. They all think that soft ground is what she needs and, if that is the call, the autumn could be exciting.”

The post Arc Bid “Not Out Of The Question” For French Oaks Runner-Up appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“La Parisienne broke her maiden exceptionally well, so we think she has potential,” said Bradley. “The next couple of races will tell us how much potential she has. She's running in a conditions race on Apr. 5 at Saint-Cloud over 2100 metres, and we'll look at the [G3] Prix Cleopatre if she runs well there and the [G1] Saint-Alary and [G1] Prix de Diane if she is that calibre. She's by a hot freshman sire in Zarak and she looks to have quite a bit of quality. Her time in her maiden race [1:57.55 for 1900 metres] was exceptional and we're cautiously optimistic that she might have a lot of quality.”

Bradley said that the current plan is for La Parisienne, who cost the Lerners €65,000 at Arqana's Deauville Select Yearling Sale in 2020, to join Chad Brown in the U.S. later this year. If she proves to be among the best of her generation, however, those plans may have to be reconsidered.

“Our group would like to run her over here [in the U.S.] through the remainder of the year,” he said. “If you happened to be the best filly in France, which is somewhat delusional at this point, you'd have to look at your options over there. She's bred to go 10 to 12 furlongs and we all know the weight allowances those fillies get in races like the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe are exceptional. But I'd hate to even dream like that right now.”

Bradley is no stranger to trading in European bloodstock, but he said La Parisienne is currently the only horse he has in training in France.

“We're branching out,” he said. “We have a great group of people and it was an opportunity to have a horse over there and maybe have a trip or two to France if it all comes together. Racing is about having fun and she's one that could give us that opportunity.”

The post Bradley Buys Majority Of La Parisienne appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“Just over 22 years ago, Vicky joined the Bradley Thoroughbreds team as the office administrator and has been a steadfast team member ever since,” said the release. “She has managed all Bradley Thoroughbreds stallion season contracts and worked in conjunction with all major farms in the area to ensure our business runs smoothly. Always the first to greet a visitor in the office or answer the phone, Vicky has been the first line of defense at Bradley Thoroughbreds for more than two decades.”

True is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and prior to joining the Bradley Thoroughbreds team, worked at some of the most prestigious farms in Central Kentucky, including Spendthrift, Gainesway, Hill 'n' Dale, and Darby Dan.

“Bradley Thoroughbreds is proud to have counted Vicky as a member of our team for so many years and we wish her a wonderful and well-deserved retirement,” the agency said.

The post Bradley Thoroughbreds’ True to Retire appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Then, there was an injury. Now, there's a comeback.

Unbeaten La Renoleta (5 for 5) is scheduled to make her first start in over a year in Saturday's seventh race at Oaklawn, a 1-mile allowance, for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

After winning her first four career starts in Argentina, including the Estrellas Distaff (Gr. 1) in June 2019 – her last race in South America – La Renoleta was privately purchased by Kentucky bloodstock agent Peter Bradley III (Bradley Thoroughbreds) and sent to Asmussen in the United States.

La Renoleta resurfaced in a Feb. 8, 2020, allowance race at 1 1/16 miles and was a 9 ¾-length winner under perennial Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr., earning a solid 89 Beyer Speed Figure in her American debut. Bradley said La Renoleta was being considered for Oaklawn's $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) when a minor soft-tissue injury was discovered, prompting a lengthy break from racing.

“While it wasn't career ending, it was one of those things that took a long time to come around,” Bradley said Thursday morning. “We gave her every bit of time she needed, so it looks like she's back on top of her game and we can't wait for her to run this weekend.”

Bradley assembles racing partnerships, or racing ventures, focusing primarily on fillies. After dipping into South America to privately purchase Chilean-bred filly Dacita, who became a multiple Grade 1 winner in the United States for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, Bradley said he began tracking La Renoleta in June 2019 before finalizing a deal roughly three months later.

A 6-year-old daughter of grass standout Treasure Beach (a Grade 1 winner in the United States and Group 1 winner in Europe), La Renoleta will again be running at Oaklawn following a lengthy layoff. Bradley said retirement was never seriously considered following her injury, adding four months of recovery stretched to seven out of caution.

“There was a hemorrhage along with it, that made it look worse,” Bradley said. “Essentially, we just wanted to be extra careful and we took some time. Knock on wood, it's paid off. We may have even overreacted a little bit, but that's OK. We wanted to make sure she's 100 percent. That's what we have right now.”

Bradley said La Renoleta resumed training around New Year's Day. The mare has seven published workouts at Oaklawn since March 10 in advance of her 2021 debut.

“We figured she would be ready for a spring/summer campaign,” Bradley said. “We hoped we could have been ready early in the Oaklawn meet and could have made a decision on the Apple Blossom. There's two ways you find out if a horse is ready to run. The horses tell you and then Steve tells you.”

Mexican champion Letruska won last Saturday's $1 million Apple Blossom (G1), nosing out two-time Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl. La Renoleta's allowance race is an “extra,” meaning it wasn't in the condition book and is a substitute race written by Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope. Bradley said Saturday's comeback spot isn't a prep for something specific, just a gateway to, hopefully, graded stakes events this summer.

“We always hope to do that with them, if they look like they've got this type of talent,” Bradley said. “Again, one step at a time. We've got this race Saturday. After that, we'll see. If she runs up to our expectations, we'll most probably look for a stakes race. If it turns out that she needs a race, we'll go to Plan B. I would hope that some races at Saratoga would be in her future this summer, some of their top races.”

Co-owners of La Renoleta are Swift Thoroughbreds Inc. (Mark Mache), Paul Braverman and Tim and Anna Cambron. Bradley, in partnership, won the $200,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares in 2019 at Oaklawn with the Asmussen-trained She's a Julie.

La Renoleta is the 8-5 program favorite for Saturday's seventh race at Oaklawn, which carries a $107,000 purse. Probable post time is 4:04 p.m. (Central).

The post Unbeaten Argentine Star La Renoleta Returns Saturday At Oaklawn Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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“Simply put, 'Julie' is incredible,” said Peter Bradley of Bradley Thoroughbreds, “There are not enough words to express the admiration and gratitude I have for this mare who fiercely laid it down on the track every time we asked her to. With that said, back in the barn she is the sweetest mare in the world. I cannot thank 'Julie' enough for all that she has done for Bradley Thoroughbreds and her co-owners.”

She's a Julie finishes her career with earnings of $1,196,380 claiming two Grade 1's along with winning graded stakes at three, four, and five years of age. Her dam Kydd Gloves has the unique distinction of being one of 56 foals from the only crop of Godolphin's international champion Dubai Millennium.

She's a Julie made her 2-year-old debut a winning one under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs. At three, 'Julie' began showing her true talent with victories in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks and G3 Remington Park Oaks. Between those two victories was a runner-up effort in the G1 Alabama at Saratoga Race Course.

She kicked off her 4-year-old campaign with an authoritative victory in the G3 Bayakoa at Oaklawn Park before notching her first G1 win in the La Troienne at Churchill Downs. The remainder of 2019 saw her place in three graded stakes including the G1 Personal Ensign.

In her final season, She's a Julie turned in her most gutsy performance getting up in the shadow of the wire to win the prestigious G1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park.

When asked about She's a Julie, Steve Asmussen noted, “Her talent was obvious with two Grade 1 wins on top of her other graded stakes wins and Grade 1 placings. She was the real deal on the racetrack, but you have got to see her in person to understand what a beautiful mare she is. Named after my wife, she is so very special to me and my family. It is really hard for me to let this one go.”

Bradley added, “I would be remiss not to thank Carrol and Stacy Castille, the original owners who are responsible for naming her for Steve's wife Julie, for allowing us to jump on this incredible adventure. Under the tutelage of Steve Asmussen, Scott Blasi, Darren Fleming, Ronnie Warner, Toby Sheets and the entire Asmussen team, 'Julie' was able to show her extraordinary talent and was always cared for like the most exceptional individual that she is. The bond she shared with her regular rider Ricardo Santana Jr. is undeniable. When Julie needed a respite to prepare for her five-year-old campaign, we entrusted her care to Becky Maker. To 'Julie's' entire team, thank you. Although her retirement from racing is the end of an era, one thing is for certain, 'Julie' has a big team rooting her on in her next career!”

She's a Julie will be offered as a broodmare prospect with Denali Stud at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November “Night of the Stars” Sale on Sunday, Nov. 8 in Lexington, Ky.

The post Grade 1 Winner She’s A Julie Retired, To Be Offered At Fasig-Tipton November Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A February 19 assessment by Peter Bradley of bloodstock agency Bradley Thoroughbreds gave Max Player a “Fair Market Value” of $1.75 million, shortly after his 3 1/4-length Withers win at Aqueduct on Feb. 1.

Of course, a lot has changed since mid-February, including Max Player's likely fair market value. The valuation came before the COVID-19 pandemic shuffled the economy and the 2020 racing calendar, especially in the spring, where many traditional Kentucky Derby preps were canceled or postponed, affecting the Honor Code colt's present and future earning potential.

On the other side of the coin, Max Player is now a classic-placed runner after finishing third in the Belmont Stakes on June 20, and the qualifying points he earned in that effort all but clinched a spot in the gate for the Derby in September. Punching that ticket would be worth something to a buyer trying to get in the race, and that possibility is reflected in Bradley's assessment.

Though it's outdated now for the individual, the February valuation can provide a useful – and somewhat rare to the public – snapshot of what a 3-year-old colt in a similar stage of his career might be worth on paper.

The criteria for assigning fair market value to a Thoroughbred can vary from person to person, accounting for differences of opinion, method, and preference. As has been seen in the wide disparity between assessment and value at auction in the Zayat Stables dispersal, a bloodstock agent's valuation is not a binding assignment of value if the parties disagree, but an expert's opinion is an invaluable tool in guiding the conversation between the two sides of a transaction, and for other matters including insurance.

In his correspondence with Joseph De Perio of Sport BLX published on the company's website, Bradley said he reviewed Max Player's race record and pedigree, and assessed the horse's physical conformation through video provided by trainer Linda Rice. Veterinary assessments were not performed as part of the analysis, and Bradley noted that the valuation was based on the colt being “insurable and sound.” Rice vouched for Max Player's soundness and “noted that to the best of her knowledge he has not had any surgeries or intra-articular joint injections.”

In the letter, Bradley wrote;

“Based on information and videos received from Linda Rice, MAX PLAYER is a big strong colt standing 16-2 hands tall. From the videos, he appears to have long pasterns and is offset (2/5) through his left knee. He has a slightly high neck tie but moves nicely at the walk. These observations are supported by the fact that the colt RNA'd as a yearling for $150,000. While the conformational flaws could have affected his value as a yearling, they are not significant and should not affect the horse's soundness. All in all, he is an above average individual and for the purpose of this appraisal has been given a B+ physical rating.”

As expected, much of Bradley's assessment centers on Max Player's ability to enter the Kentucky Derby, arguably the biggest economic driver for any young horse.

At the time, Max Player had 10 qualifying points for the Derby, by virtue of his Withers score. This ranked him 19th among eligible contenders as of mid-February, but Bradley noted the colt would likely need significantly more points to ensure a spot in the race. The average cutoff point for the previous three Derbies was 33 points.

With so much still to be determined on the Derby trail at that point, Bradley's next point of assessment came in projecting his likelihood of making it to Louisville by seeing how he stacked up against the other 3-year-olds vying for one of the 20 spots. He did this by using comparative speed figures, including Beyer Speed Figures and Ragozin Sheet numbers, the distances of his previous races, pedigree history, and his placement on Derby rankings put out by the Daily Racing Form, BloodHorse, and Thoroughbred Daily News.

Based on the doors that were open for him at the time, and the ability that Max Player had already shown winning two of his first three starts, Bradley said the colt had what it took to be in the Derby mix, and that was worth something.

Bradley further elaborated:

“In 2017 the North American thoroughbred foal crop was 22,156 foals, and MAX PLAYER has the racing credentials to be considered one of the top 20 candidates from that foal crop to potentially participate in the KY Derby. He still needs a win or enough points to make the cut and would be considered to be in the bottom half of the top 20 possible. Nonetheless, a colt that is on the Kentucky Derby trail is valued at a premium price. 19 of the 20 Derby starters will be worth significantly less the day after the race.”

SportBLX is an agency that offers investment opportunities in athletes, sports teams, and racehorses. The company is owned by George Hall, who owns and bred Max Player. The colt will target the G1 Travers Stakes for his next start.

On Tuesday, SportBLX announced a second round of public investment in Max Player, through its Annestes Thoroughbreds program, which focuses on ownership in Kentucky-breds raised at Hall's Versailles, Ky., farm. SportBLX owns a 14-percent stake in Max Player.

To view Max Player's full assessment, click here.

The post How Much Was That Horse Worth? Max Player Valued At Seven Figures After Withers Score appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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