‘We Can’t Hide Anymore’: Success Builds C&S Thoroughbreds

People took notice when Carlos Estrada and wife Sarah Estrada-Brok built a steady drumbeat of pinhooking successes and the couple's C&S Thoroughbreds consignment, which began a few years ago as just one or two of their personal pinhooks prepared on rented farms in the Bluegrass, has turned into a barnful of 18 sales-bound yearlings prepped on their own farm in Georgetown. C&S Thoroughbreds makes its second appearance at the Fasig-Tipton July Selected Yearlings Sale next Tuesday with a five-horse consignment.

The Estradas ran their first consignment in 2017 under the established consignment of Estrada-Brok's mother, Becky Merkel, before establishing their own brand. In its first year selling under their 2-year-old sales banner, Sterling Thoroughbreds, the couple sold a Brody's Cause colt–purchased as a yearling for $6,000–for $290,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May Sale. At that fall's Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale, they sold a colt by Ghostzapper–purchased as a weanling for $7,000–for $140,000, as well as an Always Dreaming colt–purchased for $15,000–for $125,000.

“We started out just pinhooking two or three horses and we did well,” Estrada-Brok said. “So we got six horses and then we did even better and then we got 12 horses. Now we have a barn of 18 going to the sales. It started out just us and then people started to come to us. We tried to stay small with ourselves, but it didn't work out like that.”

She added with a laugh, “We can't hide anymore.”

The Estradas spent a year based in Pennsylvania helping with her parents' Diamond B Farm, but as that operation began winding down, they returned to Kentucky. And her parents, Glenn and Becky, soon followed.

“We were renting at a couple of different places and eventually we did well enough in the sales that we could buy our own farm,” Estrada-Brok said. “We are just here in Georgetown. It's really close to everything. The Horse Park and Hagyard are about two miles away, Fasig is six, but it's a great farm and we filled it up. Carlos built a round pen and he put a walker in. My parents bought the farm right next door, and they have an aqua tread, so we go and use that.”

Of the couple's move to Kentucky, followed by her parents, Estrada-Brok laughed and said, “My husband jokes that he brought the whole Brok family from Pennsylvania because my sister moved down here, too.”

C & S Thoroughbreds sold four horses at last year's Fasig-Tipton July sale, led by a colt by Classic Empire who sold for $140,000. The consignment also sold a filly by Distorted Humor last July for $110,000. That filly returned to sell for $485,000 at this year's OBS April sale.

“Last year was a great group and it's another strong group this year,” Estrada-Brok said. “I think our clients upped the price range a little bit when they bought them. It's a good, solid group of fast early horses. I am really happy with what we are taking over there.”

C & S Thoroughbreds' five-horse July consignment includes yearlings being sold on behalf of clients, as well as a pair in pinhooking partnerships. The group are all colts and all but one are the first or second foals out of their dams.

“This year when we went to the sales to buy, we bought more colts than fillies,” Estrada-Brok said. “And we did that on purpose. Everybody always has the Derby dream. So we tend to stick more to colts.”

She continued, “Typically when Carlos and I buy, we do look for the first or second foal. That's typically what we try to go for. Buying a horse with pedigree is expensive, we can't always afford those, so we need to look for angles.”

The couple's July consignment includes a pair of yearlings by Bolt d'Oro: Hip 161 was purchased by Gary Contessa for $33,000 at last year's Keeneland November and Contessa signed for hip 357 for $80,000 at the same sale.

“I have two really nice Bolt d'Oros for a client,” Estrada-Brok said. “And he is just as hot as anybody.”

As part of a pinhooking partnership, the Estradas purchased a colt by Munnings (hip 164) for $100,000 at this year's Keeneland January sale.

“He is a big, strong forward horse,” Estrada-Brok said of the colt. “He's a Saturday horse, that is what he is.”

Also part of a pinhooking partnership is a son of Complexity (hip 341) who was purchased for $27,000 at Keeneland November.

The C&S Thoroughbreds consignment is rounded out by a homage to the operation's roots in Pennsylvania. A homebred for Whiskey Run Stables, the colt (hip 204) is by Rowayton, a stallion who began his career at the Broks' Diamond B Farm.

In addition to the July sale, C&S Thoroughbreds will be offering yearlings at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred Yearlings sale and the Fasig-Tipton October sale.

Fasig-Tipton will host its July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale at its Newtown Paddocks facility Monday, with bidding beginning at 2 p.m. The company's July Selected Yearlings Sale will be held Tuesday beginning at 10 a.m.

The post ‘We Can’t Hide Anymore’: Success Builds C&S Thoroughbreds appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Not This Time Leads 2023 Taylor Made Stallions Roster at $135K

Runaway leading third-crop sire Not This Time (Giant's Causeway) will stand for $135,000 S&N in 2023 as the headliner of the Taylor Made Stallions roster, the farm announced Monday.

The leading freshman sire of 2020 by number of winners and black-type winners, and the leading second-crop sire of 2021 in all key statistical categories, Not This Time once again finds himself at the top of the heap this season. In 2022, he boasts a crop-best 12 stakes winners, 25 black-type horses, five graded stakes winners, a pair of Grade I winners and progeny earnings on the year of $10,633,215 thus far. He is the second-ranked sire of 3-year-olds by earnings, behind only Gun Runner, and top sire in North America by percentage of black-type winners for the second consecutive year at 8.3%. His top performer on the track this season is leading 3-year-old Epicenter, winner of the GI Travers S., GII Jim Dandy S., GII Louisiana Derby, GII Risen Star S. and Gun Runner S. He also finished second in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S., amassing earnings of $2,800,100 in his sophomore campaign.

Taylor Made will further bolster its roster in 2023 with the arrival of Grade I winner Idol (Curlin), winner of the 2021 Santa Anita H. and a full-brother to multiple Grade I winner Nest who will stand his initial season at stud for $10,000 S&N as a Repole Stable/Taylor Made Stallions Venture.

Knicks Go (Paynter), Horse of the Year, Champion Older Male and Longines World's Best Racehorse of 2021, will stand his second season at stud for $30,000 S&N. A gate-to-wire winner of the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar–just two clicks off the 18-year-old track record set by Candy Ride (Arg)–Knicks Go recorded a 112 Beyer in the victory. A two-time track record-setter and a Grade I winner at two, four, and five, Knicks Go banked over $9.2 million in his sensational racing career.

Tacitus (Tapit), a multiple graded stakes winner and earner of more than $3.7 million out of Champion Older Female and five-time Grade I winner Close Hatches, will stand for $10,000 S&N, the same fee he stood for during his first season at stud a year ago. The Juddmonte Farms homebred won or placed in 10 graded stakes, including five Grade Is and two Classic races.

Instagrand (Into Mischief), a $1.2 million Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale acquisition and 'TDN Rising Star', will stand for $7,500 S&N. Instagrand welcomed first foals in 2022 and his initial book of mares included GI Breeders' Cup Distaff champion Blue Prize (Arg). A precocious juvenile, Instagrand led wire-to-wire to win the GII Best Pal S. by 10 3/4 lengths after breaking his maiden by 10 lengths in his debut. He also placed in the GIII Gotham S. and GI Santa Anita Derby.

Instilled Regard (Arch) also saw his first foals arrive this year, and he will stand the upcoming season for $7,500 S&N. During his racing career, Instilled Regard won the GI Manhattan S. and earned $983,240. He hails from a prolific family–his second dam is champion mare Heavenly Prize, the dam of Pure Prize.

Rowayton (Into Mischief), a multiple Grade I-placed juvenile by Into Mischief, returns for his second season at stud and will stand for $7,500 S&N. A debut maiden special weight winner, Rowayton was runner-up in the GI Del Mar Futurity and also placed in the GI American Pharoah S. behind subsequent Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Game Winner. Rowayton is out of a half-sister to two-time Canadian Champion Miss Mischief and descends from the family of champions Letruska and Proud Spell.

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Mating Plans: OXO Equine

With the 2022 breeding season right around the corner, we will feature a series of breeders' mating plans over the coming weeks. Today we have Taylor Made's Katie Taylor Whalen on behalf of Larry Best, owner of OXO Equine.

Best retired two stallions to Taylor Made–GISW Instilled Regard (Arch) and GSW/GISP Instagrand (Into Mischief)–for their first seasons last year, with both represented by their first foals in 2022. A majority of his broodmare band, over 50 strong, will go to one of the two and are expecting foals by either of the young sires this year, but Best also supports another former runner who also entered stud last year in MGISP Rowayton (Into Mischief) at Diamond B Farm in Pennsylvania. He also uses a number of outside stallions.

With his first recorded start as an owner in 2017, Best has amassed a large and stellar group of broodmares in a short time, and said, “OXO has three priorities. 1, Quality. 2, Quality. 3, Quality.”

“OXO Equine has collected an unbelievably accomplished, well-bred, and beautiful group of mares,” said Taylor Whalen. “It is a joy to work with such an exceptional group. Larry has done a wonderful job of identifying young mares with active families. Breeders should pay close attention to the depth of his support for Instilled Regard and Instagrand. Both Instilled Regard and Instagrand were precocious accomplished racehorses, and they are receiving a caliber of mares that many stallions don't see until they are well established. Great things are in store for both OXO stallions and mares.”

With an addition of 18 maiden mares currently lined up for this season, in 2021 Best bred 33 mares he boards at Taylor Made. All but one of them went to Instagrand, Instilled Regard, or Rowayton. Every one of his maiden mares in 2022 is going to either Instagrand or Instilled Regard and all but 10 of his other mares will also stay with one of his own stallions.

Said Taylor Whelan, “Though OXO is excited and committed to support their own well accomplished stallions, they see the value in rotating top mares to interesting outside stallions. Essential Quality and Practical Joke both fit the mold. They were accomplished on the track, from the top two most powerful sire lines (Tapit/Into Michief) and have racing and commercial upside. We also learn from what goes well! We are taking Hung the Moon back to Quality Road. Her exceptional yearling colt by Quality Road was purchased last summer at Saratoga by Maverick Racing.”

Following is a selection of some of the biggest names in Best's broodmare band and their plans.

BEAU RECALL (IRE) (m, 8, Prancealot {Ire}–Greta d'Argent {Ire}, by Great Commotion), to be bred to Instagrand

Best acquired this MGSW for $350,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November sale. She went to Instilled Regard for her first season last year and will visit Instagrand this year.

BLUE PRIZE (ARG) (m, 9, Pure Prize–Blues for Sale {Arg}, by Not For Sale {Arg}), to be bred to Practical Joke

Best purchased the 2019 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner for a sales-topping $5 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. He sent her to Into Mischief for her first foal, now a yearling filly. The MGISW and $2.6-million earner is due to Instagrand this year and will be bred back to Practical Joke. Taylor Whalen said the farm is very high on Blue Prize's yearling by Instagrand's sire.

CAMBIER PARC (m, 6, Medaglia d'Oro–Sealy Hill, by Point Given), to be bred to Instagrand

Out of Canada's 2007 Horse of the Year who has since produced four graded winners, Cambier Parc was a $1.25-million buy for Best at the 2017 Keeneland September sale and turned into a MGISW for him while under the tutelage of Chad Brown. The mare's first foal is due this year–an Instilled Regard foal–and she will be sent to the court of Instagrand.

CONCRETE ROSE (m, 6, Twirling Candy–Solerina, by Powerscourt {GB}), to be bred to Essential Quality

Another GISW in the OXO broodmare band, Concrete Rose was a $1.95-million acquisition by Best at the 2020 Keeneland November sale. The mare recently made headlines again when she delivered her first foal, which also happened to be one of the first reported foals by Instagrand.

FINITE (m, 5, Munnings–Remit, by Tapit), to be bred to Instagrand

Picked up at Fasig-Tipton November just two months ago for $2.2 million, Finite is a MGSW out of a full-sister to MGSW Tapiture. She is one of the maidens headed to Best's Instagrand.

INDIAN MISS (m, 13, Indian Charlie–Glacken's Gal, by Smoke Glacken), to be bred to Practical Joke

A $1.9-million buy by OXO at the 2020 Keeneland November sale, Indian Miss is the dam of 2019 champion sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya) and additional GISW Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), who is slated to contest the G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 26. The oldest and most accomplished broodmare to date in the OXO broodmare band, Indian Miss is currently in foal to Instagrand and will go back to Practical Joke. Best also has her yearling colt by Into Mischief.

Let us know who you're breeding your mares to in 2022, and why. We will print a selection of your responses in TDN over the coming weeks. Please send details to: garyking@thetdn.com.

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PR Back Ring Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale: Life After Kentucky Derby Controversy For Dancer’s Image

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS EDITION OF THE PR BACK RING

The latest issue of the PR Back Ring is now online, ahead of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale.

The PR Back Ring is the Paulick Report's new bloodstock newsletter, released ahead of every major North American Thoroughbred auction. Seeking to expand beyond the usual pdf presentation, the Back Ring offers a dynamic experience for bloodstock content, heavy on visual elements and statistics to appeal to readers on all platforms, especially mobile devices.

Here is what's inside this issue…

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS EDITION OF THE PR BACK RING

  • Lead Feature Presented By Crane Thoroughbreds: As the world waits for the split sample results to come back on Medina Spirit's Betamethasone positive in the Kentucky Derby, bloodstock editor Joe Nevills looks back on the eclectic stud career of Dancer's Image, the first horse to be disqualified from first in the Derby for a failed drug test in 1968.
  • Stallion Spotlight: Glenn Brok of Diamond B Farm on first-year stallion Rowayton.
  • Lesson Horses Presented By John Deere Equine Incentive Program: Craig Bernick of Glen Hill Farm on the hard lessons about the Thoroughbred market taught to him by You Go West Girl.
  • Honor Roll Presented By Uptowncharlybrown Stud: Wait For It is a homegrown “miracle horse” for Bob Hutt.
  • Ask Your Veterinarian Presented By Kentucky Performance Products: Dr. Daniel Devis of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital on LASER therapy.
  • Pennsylvania Leaderboard Presented By Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association: Beren sets the pace among Pennsylvania program incentive earners through the first two months of 2021.
  • Ask Your Insurer Presented By Muirfield Insurance: Bryce Burton of Muirfield Insurance explains how breeders can add more of a guarantee to a “no guarantee” stallion season.
  • The Stat: Leading Maryland sires by increase in mares bred from 2019 to 2020.
  • First-Crop Sire Watch: Stallions whose first juveniles are cataloged in the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS EDITION OF THE PR BACK RING

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