2023 Mating Plans, Presented by Spendthrift: Edwin Anthony, Shortleaf Stable

As we approach the opening of the 2023 breeding season, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why. Here's what Edwin Anthony of Shortleaf Stable had to say about their broodmare band for 2023.

I subscribe to the same school of thought as pedigree gurus like Ken McLean, Alan Porter and Anne Peters when it comes to trying to concentrate the influence of the most effective foundation mares and families. My first job in the horse business (after hotwalker) was doing pedigree research for journalist and consultant Bill Oppenheim at Racing Update, so I learned to compile databases and the importance of recognizing patterns.  During that time, I also got to know Roger Lyons, who helped to build the CompuSire computer program for looking at hypothetical matings back to the sixth generation, which I still use.

Using those tools, skills, and nearly 40 years of my own research and experience, I'm able to work with my father (owner of Shortleaf Stable) in arranging our mare bookings each season. It's always a good idea to keep an open mind and look at all parts of a mare's pedigree to forecast what might work for her. You also want to incorporate some common sense regarding size, soundness, speed, stamina and keeping your long-term goals in mind, including staying within a realistic budget. Shortleaf races all of the stock that we breed, so we have a ceiling on what we're willing to spend on each stud fee, since we'd like to see the resulting foal earn back as much of our investment as it can.

PANGBURN (m, 11, Congrats—It's True Love, by Yes It's True), booked to Good Magic

We raced this mare after purchasing her as a yearling. She's a big mare, but was precocious and a very sound racehorse, placing in several graded stakes. She has been a good match for Hard Spun (dam of SW Caddo River by him and a just-turned 2-year-old full-brother that is one of our top prospects), so we decided to send her to GOOD MAGIC, who is out of a mare by Hard Spun. Curlin (sire of Good Magic) has an outstanding record on the A.P. Indy cross, and I have concentrated on Hard Spun's blood with her because he carries Roberto and she carries Dixieland Band. When they are combined in pedigrees, you get linebreeding to full-sisters, and I have seen that combination work with great success for decades. It just keeps working.

BENNER ISLAND (m, 9, Speightstown—Spacy Tracy, by Awesome Again), booked to Bolt d'Oro

This mare was another yearling sale purchase and was very fast and classy, winning a Grade II on Derby Day, sprinting. We like to send her to stallions that would logically add some stamina. The obvious choice would be Medaglia d'Oro, since he has nicked so well with Speightstown in pedigrees, but he's always been out of our price range. Since he was so popular at the sales and showed some good results with his first crop of runners, we elected to go with Medaglia d'Oro's son BOLT D'ORO, who is out of a mare by A.P. Indy, which should add some stamina genes as well. In addition, Bolt d'Oro is from the Sadler's Wells sire line and Benner Island carries Nureyev, so having those three or four brothers in a pedigree can't hurt, since they have combined so well.

REEF POINT (m, 10, Giant's Causeway—Dixie City, by Dixie Union), booked to Daredevil

Yet another yearling purchase, this mare didn't have much interest in being a racehorse, but she is from the family of Dehere, out of a Grade II winner, and by a leading broodmare sire, so we never hesitated in spending money on her stud fees. She is the dam of MGSW Bubble Rock (on turf), by More Than Ready. That was an easy mating to come up with given all of the success that More Than Ready has had in reinforcing the influence of Almahmoud through her grandsons Northern Dancer and Halo. There are numerous examples of combining stallions with inverted pedigrees, achieving “balanced” inbreeding/linebreeding through sons and daughters of the same ancestors. This is achieved when you cross Southern Halo (son of Halo, daughter of Northern Dancer) with Giant's Causeway (carries a son of Northern Dancer and a daughter of Halo). Since More Than Ready is no longer with use, a good choice for this mare was More Than Ready's son, DAREDEVIL. He's out of a mare by Forty Niner, who is in turn out of a mare by Tom Rolfe (a son of the notable mare Pocahontas). Giant's Causeway carries Tom Rolfe's half-brother Chieftain, and I have seen linebreeding to Pocahontas and the more general family of The Squaw II (Ack Ack, Sham, etc.) work on numerous occasions. 

HOLIDAY'S JEWEL (m, 14, Harlan's Holiday—Denali Red, by Crafty Prospector), booked to Twirling Candy

We bought this mare as a maiden at the Keeneland November Sale. She was a sound campaigner in New York (made 40 starts) and had plenty of stamina. She was another mare in a good position to take advantage of linebreeding to Almahmoud (Halo, Northern Dancer), so we sent her to More Than Ready several times and were rewarded with the GSP filly Caldee from that union. I recognized that she had some other interesting ancestors that made her a good match for Candy Ride's son TWIRLING CANDY, and we have been anxious for our breeding program to have more exposure to Candy Ride's growing influence, so we decided to go that direction with her. Twirling Candy was the choice because Harlan's Holiday is out of a mare by Triple Crown winner Affirmed and Twirling Candy traces to the dam of Affirmed, Won't Tell You (his fifth dam). Harlan's Holiday is also from the important Alanesian/Alablue family and Twirling Candy has three crosses of that family close up in his pedigree–via Ride the Rails and Cryptoclearance (sire and grandsire of Candy Ride), as well as Boldnesian (grandsire of Seattle Slew).

MERRY MITTENS (m, 13, Harperstown–Weatherfield, by Elusive Quality) booked to Plainsman

This mating is the very definition of “homebred.” We raced the sire Harperstown (SP son of Devil's Bag–Halo, from a mare by Northern Dancer) and stood him in Arkansas. We had a couple of full-sisters by Elusive Quality that we bred that were out of a daughter of our classic winner Pine Bluff (a son of Danzig–Northern Dancer, from a mare by Halo). We've had good luck reinforcing all of this Almahmoud blood (Halo, Northern Dancer) so we bred both of the Elusive Quality mares (with Pine Bluff) to Harperstown. From those unions, we got the very legit GSW Trace Creek (an allowance winner at Churchill and Keeneland) and this mare, an open allowance winner sprinting and the dam of Arkie-bred SW Sekani. She makes a lot of sense for our new stallion PLAINSMAN (a son of Flatter that won three graded stakes for us) since he needs some mares with speed and this mating results in linebreeding to three sets of full-siblings–Devil's Bag and his brother Saint Ballado, Hero's Honor and his sister Wild Applause, and Graustark and his brother His Majesty. We'll know in about four years if it was a good idea.

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

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Plainsman Retired to Buck Pond Farm

Plainsman (Flatter–S S Pinafore, by Street Sense), a three-time graded winner and third-place finisher in the 2021 GI Cigar Mile H., has been retired to Buck Pond Farm in Kentucky. He will stand the 2023 season for $5,000.

“He's by Flatter, who has not only been a great sire, but is also the sire of Upstart, who is a leading young sire himself,” Buck Pond's Doug Arnold told TDN. “He had incredible speed. He ran 1:33 and change two different times and he's extremely good looking. He looks like his daddy.”

Bred in Kentucky by Joseph Minor, owned by Shortleaf Stable, Inc. and trained by Brad Cox, the $350,000 KEEESEP yearling retires with a record of 32-9-7-6 and earnings of $1,408,412. Produced by a half-sister to MGSW Southdale (Street Cry {Ire}), Plainsman is a half-brother to GSP Liam (Liam's Map).

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Last Samurai ‘Springs’ Upset in Oaklawn H.

Arkansas' own Willis Horton celebrated yet another big-race success right in his backyard, as Last Samurai (Malibu Moon) re-rallied at the fence beneath veteran reinsman Jon Court and ran away late to cause a 12-1 upset in Saturday's $1-million GII Oaklawn H.

Drawn two in a field reduced to seven by the early scratching of Thomas Shelby (Curlin), Last Samurai had good speed from the inside and shared the lead with second choice Plainsman (Flatter) under the wire for the first time, as favored Fearless (Ghostzapper)–runner-up to the Horton part-owned Silver State (Hard Spun) last year–tracked the duo from out wide. Court, still thriving at the age of 61, took Last Samurai in hand as they turned up the backstretch, allowing Plainsman to edge to the front, but held his spot at the fence as the field reached the half-mile peg. Last Samurai appeared to be struggling three-eighths of a mile out, but–busily ridden by Court–was back into the bridle and on the attack inside of Plainsman, Fearless and 2021 GI Arkansas Derby hero Super Stock (Super Saver) on the swing for home. Vigorously ridden, Last Samurai began to get away at the furlong grounds and was punched out to score impressively. Fearless was up on the line to touch Plainsman out of second.

“He's been training really well,” said Court. “He's been fun to work with from the time the Hortons gave me the opportunity to work with Last Samurai. He's just been a joy in the mornings. As you may have noticed, I broke away from the pony because he's just so fun to ride in the morning. In the afternoon, he gives it his best effort and things set up perfectly for us and he was willing to take on the challenge. What a blast it certainly was.”

Fifth in last year's GIII Southwest S. and in the Arkansas Derby, Last Samurai took a Colonial turf allowance in August, but was only ninth in the Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs the following month. The chestnut, a neck second facing his elders in the GIII Greenwood Cup over 12 furlongs Sept. 25, bested Super Stock in the Dec. 11 Poinsettia S. at this venue, but was seventh to Plainsman in the GIII Razorback H. Feb. 12 and a latest near-miss second to marathoner Lone Rock (Majestic Warrior) in this track's Temperence Hill S. going a mile and a half Apr. 3.

Pedigree Notes:

Already one of 129 worldwide black-type winners for the late Malibu Moon, Last Samurai becomes the 52nd to succeed at the graded or group level and is his 20th male to do so.

A stakes winner and third in the GII Molly Pitcher S., Lady Samuri was sold for $130,000 at the 2013 Keeneland November Sale, then was knocked down to Stonestreet for $280,000 in foal to Union Rags at KEENOV the following fall. The mare is the dam of four winners from as many to the races, a number that also includes Candy Raid (Candy Ride {Arg}), who upset the Apr. 2 Bourbonette Oaks and worked Saturday towards an expected appearance in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks May 6 (see related story).

A $37,000 KEESEP buyback turned $175,000 OBS March breezer (:10 1/5), Last Samurai has a 2-year-old half-sister by Good Magic. After being given a year off, she foaled a filly by Maclean's Music Mar. 20.

Saturday, Oaklawn Park
OAKLAWN H.-GII, $1,000,000, Oaklawn, 4-23, 4yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:49.32, ft.
1–LAST SAMURAI, 117, c, 4, by Malibu Moon
1st Dam: Lady Samuri (SW & GSP, $150,553), by First Samurai
2nd Dam: Redeye Rain, by Instrument Landing
3rd Dam: Palms and Rain, by Giacometti
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($37,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP; $175,000 2yo '20 OBSMAR). O-Willis Horton Racing LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Dallas Stewart; J-Jon Kenton Court. $600,000. Lifetime Record: 15-4-3-2, $946,744. *1/2 to Candy Raid (Candy Ride {Arg}), SW, $191,400. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Fearless, 121, g, 6, Ghostzapper–And Why Not, by Street Cry (Ire). ($725,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP; $120,000 RNA 4yo '20 FTKHRA; $205,000 5yo '21 FTKHRA). O-Repole Stable; B-Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $200,000.
3–Plainsman, 121, h, 7, Flatter–S S Pinafore, by Street Sense.  ($350,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Shortleaf Stable, Inc.; B-Joseph Minor (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $100,000.
Margins: 4, NK, 2. Odds: 12.90, 1.20, 2.40.
Also Ran: Super Stock, Beau Luminarie, Idol, Rated R Superstar. Scratched: Thomas Shelby.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Americanrevolution Beats Following Sea To Wire In Cigar Mile

On a day that had its share of inquiries, Americanrevolution survived an inquiry to take the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y. Contact between the winner and Plainsman led to the inquiry, with stewards ultimately deciding to leave the order of finish intact, the son of Constitution victorious over his stablemate Following Sea.

At the break, Pipeline was the fastest out of the gate, but Following Sea, who finished third behind Aloha West in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 6, took over the lead as they crossed onto the Aqueduct backstretch. Following Sea maintained his one-length lead until the stretch, when Ginobili made his bid for the lead, taking over briefly as they straightened out into the stretch.

Following Sea fought back, passing Ginobili inside the final eighth of a mile as Plainsman and American Revolution made contact briefly as they made their bids for the front in the stretch. Americanrevolution dug in and took over the lead inside the last sixteenth of a mile, finishing a half-length in front of Following Sea. Plainsman was third, with Olympiad fourth. The inquiry sign went up after the race as stewards looked into contact between Plainsman and Americanrevolution in the stretch, but the results were allowed to stand.

The final time for the one-mile G1 stakes was 1:36.68. Find this race's chart here.

Americanrevolution paid $7.50, $4.10, and $3.30. Following Sea paid $5.10 and $4.10. Plainsman paid $5.60.

“Luis [Saez] rode him terrifically. He kept him going in the turn when he was in traffic and things were getting tight. He responded to an energetic ride. He never gave up on him and I think that was important, especially backing up from the mile and an eighth. He never wanted to take his foot off the peddle. He kept coming and we knew he'd be fit backing up in distance,” trainer Todd Pletcher said after the race.

“We weren't 100 percent positive about the mile, but a lot of times good horses do multiple things really well and I think he's a great example of that. Constitution puts so much determination into his offspring and they're just like he was – very tough horses and versatile. It's great to see him get that Grade 1 win.”

“When he came around the three-eighths he was a little bit off the bit. I had to start riding him to get the momentum and at the top of the stretch, when he switched leads, he gave me that kick. After that, I knew I could win the race but I wasn't sure because I still had Following Sea in front of me and he was battling but in the end, Americanrevolution made his move and he got there,” jockey Luis Saez told the NYRA Press Office after the race.

“I feel like Manny [Franco, aboard Plainsman] tried to come out and he was trying to push me away and wanted my spot, but I was in my lane and it looked like the horse inside came out a little bit too and that's what made it look like that.”

Bred in Kentucky by Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding, Americanrevolution is out of the Super Saver mare Polly Freeze. He is owned by China Horse Club, Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales, the son of Consitution was purchased by China Horse Club and Maverick Racing for $275,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Preferred New York Bred Yearling Sale. With his win in the G1 Cigar Mile, the 3-year-old colt has five wins in six starts in 2021 and career earnings of $944,535.

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