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Taylor Made’s Foaling Season Starts with Flightline’s First Foal

Foaling season is off to a flying start at Taylor Made Farm as they're already up to nearly a dozen foals on the ground. Everything has gone smoothly so far, but a real showstopper came early when they welcomed the first foal by Horse of the Year Flightline. A star-faced bay filly with a bit of chrome on her hind legs, the new arrival is also the first foal out of Grade I winner Juju's Map (Liam's Map).

“It's really a blessing to have such a well-bred horse here,” said Frank Taylor. “She's got a great attitude and she is strong and healthy. Everything is going great so far. The mare is by Liam's Map, who is a half-brother to Not This Time. Those are two of the best horses we ever raised, so it's really exciting to have this filly on the farm.”

Bred by Fred W. Hertrich III, Juju's Map was a $300,000 Keeneland September purchase for the Albaugh family. She broke her maiden in her second start for Brad Cox and went on to claim the 2021 GI Darley Alcibiades S. and run second to Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. A winner and three times graded stakes placed at three, Juju's Map was sent through the ring at the Keeneland November Sale in 2022, but she RNA'd for $1.9 million and stayed with the Albaugh family.

Taylor said the mating of Flightline and Juju's Map produced a good blend of both Grade I-caliber horses.

“The filly has the looks of Flightline, but she also has some of the mare,” he explained. “The mating matches up well physically and pedigree-wise, and you're just breeding the best to the best and hoping for the best.”

Taylor added that Juju's Map will visit Curlin in 2024.

Sara Gordon

As for the foal, Taylor hypothesized that for now, it's a coin toss as to whether the youngster would one day see the sales ring or race in the Albaugh silks. The filly's broodmare sire and his family carry a well-known story on just that subject.

“We had Liam's Map here as a yearling and the Albaughs really never sold many of their horses,” Taylor recalled. “He was by Unbridled's Song and he was the best yearling on the farm, so we talked them into selling him. He brought $800,000 and we were all very excited about the way he sold until he won the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and they syndicated him for a lot more than $800,000. Then fast forward and Mr. Albaugh was back here and we were showing him the Giant's Causeway colt out of same mare and we said, 'Man, this one could bring maybe $1 million or $2 million.' His response was,' Not this time.'”

Not This Time, who was runner-up in the 2016 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile for Dennis Albaugh and his family, stands for $150,000 this year as a fifth-crop sire at Taylor Made and is now embarking on a career as a sire of sires with 3-year-old champion Epicenter beginning his second year at Ashford Stud and MGISW Up to the Mark debuting at Lane's End.

Plenty of superbly bred horses will hit the ground at Taylor Made in the coming weeks, but Taylor said there is no denying that having the first foal by a horse like the undefeated Flightline–who stood for $200,000 and covered 152 mares in his debut season–is a special honor.

“You dream about these horses become great racehorses and this filly is really bred to go a distance, so maybe someday we'll see her in the Oaks,” he said. “That'd be a dream come true.”

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Debuting Fillies To The Fore This Weekend in Japan

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend–all filllies–including three in a single race at Kyoto as well as Nakayama:

Saturday, January 20, 2024
3rd-NKY, ¥11,850,000 ($80k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1200m
ROLY GLORY (f, 3, Justify–Roly Poly, by War Front) is the first foal from her dam, winner in England of the G1 Falmouth S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. and the G1 Prix Rothschild in France. Second dam Misty For Me (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) won the 2011 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and has since gone on to excel in her second career, producing champion and treble Group 1 winner U S Navy Flag (War Front) and Cover Song (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), a $2.1-million buyback at Keeneland November last fall. This is also the family of G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), whose progeny include the listed-winning Monday (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and Group 3 winner Red Riding Hood (Ire) (Justify), one of the sire's 17 worldwide winners at the group/graded level from just the two crops to race. B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY)

Sunday, January 21, 2024
2nd-KYO, ¥11,850,000 ($80k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m
G T SPEED (f, 3, Into Mischief–Iotapa, by Afleet Alex), a $510,000 Keeneland September acquisition by J S Company, is out of a winner of the GI Vanity S. and GI Clement L. Hirsch S. who was also third to Untapable (Tapit) in the 2014 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff before selling to China Horse Club for $2.8 million at the Keeneland November Sale a few days later. Iotapa is closely related to SW/GSP Saintly Joan (Northern Afleet), the dam of recent Louisiana Champions Day Turf winner Behemah Star (Star Guitar). B-CHC Inc (KY)

KEA LAULE'A (f, 3, Quality Road–Hard Not to Like, by Hard Spun), a half-sister to GSP 'TDN Rising Star' Faustin (Curlin), is out of a dam who starred on the grass, with a victory in the 2014 GI Jenny Wiley S. for Hillsbrook Farms and Michael Matz before being purchased by Speedway Stables for $1.5 million at that year's KEENOV sale. Kept in training at age six, Hard Not to Like added the GI Gamely S. and GI Diana S. and was knocked down to DATTT Stable for $2.2 million at KEENOV in 2015. The deeper female family includes the MGSW marathon dirt horse Lone Rock (Majestic Warrior) and GSW Gerrymander (Into Mischief). Kea Laule'a was hammered down to North Hills for $500,000 as a KEESEP yearling. B-DATTT Farm LLC (KY)

JAMILA NOOR (f, 3, Uncle Mo–Layla Noor, by Midnight Lute) is out of a Grade II-placed daughter of SW & MGSP Senada (Pulpit) who was purchased by Shadai Farm for $660,000 with this filly in utero at the 2020 Keeneland November Sale. Senada's half-brother Arthur's Tale (Bernardini) was runner-up in the 2011 GI Wood Memorial S., and this is also the family of SW/MGSP Gingham (Quality Road) and SW Blackadder (Quality Road). Layla Noor was bred to American Pharoah in 2021 and exported to Japan, where she produced a filly by American Pharoah the following season. B-Shadai Farm (KY)

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Saturday Insights: Baffert Stablemates Star At Santa Anita

1st-SA, $65K, Msw, 3yo, 6 1/2f, 3:30 p.m.

A pair of pricey Bob Baffert stablemates make their anticipated debuts Saturday to open the card at Santa Anita. NORMANDY LANDING (Gun Runner), out of a daughter of MGISW and Kentucky Oaks heroine Flute (Seattle Slew), brought $1,050,000 from the 'Avengers' as a yearling at Keeneland. Dam Perfect Flute, who has already produced this runner's winning full-sibling, is herself a half to GSW/MGISP Filimbi (Mizzen Mast) and to the dams of GSW Current (Curlin) and GISW Weep No More (Mineshaft).

He'll break outside of stablemate Maymun (Frosted), a successful pinhook who brought a top-five price of $900,000 from Zedan Racing Stables at last year's OBS April sale after selling for just $50,000 as a yearling at Keeneland the year prior. The son of Frosted seems to have plenty of speed, tuning up for this debut with a best-of-65 drill Jan. 13 (four furlongs in :47).

Attempting to split the pair is second-time starter Mc Vay (Constitution), a $1.25m FTSAUG yearling himself who ran greenly in his Del Mar debut behind Wine Me Up (Vino Rosso) Sept. 2. He removes the blinkers in this spot for trainer John Shirreffs. TJCIS PPS

11th-GP, $89K, Msw, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 5:05 p.m.

On the East Coast, Coinvest (City of Light) brings yet another million-dollar price tag on the day for Todd Pletcher and the partnership of Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds. The $1.1m KEESEP grad will seek to emulate the success of his half-siblings including MGSW/MGISP Wit (Practical Joke) and GSW Barkley (Munnings).

Opposing him is $600,000 KEESEP yearling and stablemate Linesman (Uncle Mo) along with Peter Brant's European invader Zapata (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) for trainer Chad Brown. TJCIS PPS

5th-FG, $60K, Msw, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 3:00 p.m.

Kicking off Lecomte day at the Fair Grounds, Kentucky West Racing homebred Saint Damasus (Justify) debuts for trainer Kenneth McPeek. The colt is a half to GI Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational winner Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway).

He'll face second-time starter Hall of Fame (Gun Runner), a $1.4m FTSAUG yearling who ran second as the beaten favorite in his Churchill debut Nov. 26 for Steve Asmussen. TJCIS PPS

6th-FG, $60K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 3:30 p.m.

Yes Indeed (Bolt d'Oro) debuts for Cherie DeVaux and Laul Stables after bringing $850,000 at OBS April last Spring. Her dam's first foal, she was a $350,000 yearling who impressed after breezing in :10. TJCIS PPS

8th-FG, $60K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 4:30 p.m.

In the final maiden special weight of the day at Fair Grounds, Exploration (Curlin) starts for a lengthy partnership led by Spendthrift Farm. The $900,000 KEESEP yearling is out of a half to GISW Tara's Tango (Unbridled's Song), who went on to produce GIII New Kent County Virginia Derby winner Capensis (Tapit). This is also the family of GI NetJets King's Bishop S. winner Visionaire (Grand Slam), GSW Scarlet Fusion (Curlin) and GSW/MGISP Scarlet Strike (Smart Strike).

He'll face Godolphin homebred Cornishman (Curlin), a son of GSW/MGISP Penwith (Bernardini). Second dam Composure (Touch Gold), purchased by Godolphin for $3.6m out of KEENOV in 2003, is also responsible for MGISP Centring (A.P. Indy) and GISP Tranquil Manner (A.P. Indy) along with the dam of MGSW Shared Sense (Street Sense). TJCIS PPS

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Alan Foreman Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast

These are busy times for Alan Foreman, who is the general counsel to the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, a member of Maryland's Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority (MTROA) and serves as an ombudsman for the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU). He took time out of his schedule to join the TDN Writers' Room Podcast, sponsored by The Green Group.

It is his work with the MTROA that has received the most attention of late as the Authority recently issued a plan that would completely overhaul Maryland racing. Pimlico will be rebuilt and when that is done, racing will cease at Laurel. The Stronach Group will turn the tracks over to the state, which will become the new operator, but will maintain the rights to the GI Preakness S. and the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. A new training center will be built.

This is the evolution of a 2020 plan which called for the rebuilding of both Laurel and Pimlico. A total of $375 million was put together for that project, which eventually stalled because of a number of factors. Those same funds will be used to for a new Pimlico.

“Pimlico became the hub property for this project, and working with the Maryland Stadium Authority and other experts that we worked with over the past six months, we have a plan to go forward and it is within range of the cost of the bonds that were initially authorized by the Maryland General Assembly,” Foreman said. “So that's the genesis of this project going forward. It's a mountain of work that's been done in the last six months. But now the rubber hits the road.”

It is still not clear what the agreement means, which allows The Stronach Group to retain the rights to the Preakness and Black-Eyed Susan. Major questions remain, like, how will the revenue from those two days of racing be divided up?

“There's a framework for an agreement that is now being negotiated between the state and Stronach,” Foreman said. “It's estimated that agreement will be finalized within the next 30 to 60 days. It's critical that the agreement be finalized because we have started the legislative session. Legislative leadership and the governor are going to be very interested in the outcome of those negotiations. But I think both sides are confident that they will come to a final written agreement because the ink is not dry on this deal and there are still matters to be negotiated. But the framework is that because Stronach owned the rights to the Preakness, they will license the event to the state of Maryland and the state of Maryland will, as a not-for-profit, run the Preakness. The division of revenues is being negotiated. It will be a fair agreement to both sides.”

As far as his work with HISA/HIWU goes, Foreman admits that there have been problems, particularly when it comes to trainers receiving hefty fines and suspensions for infractions that may be the result of environmental contamination. He says work is being done to make a fair system.

“I've never seen an intentional administration of a cocaine or a methamphetamine to a horse, and there wouldn't be a reason to do it,” he said. “The industry pre-HISA did a very good job of handling these cases. This was something that was not broken and needed to be fixed. And somehow in the new system it got broken. Fortunately, it's being fixed under new rule changes that we're waiting for the Federal Trade Commission to approve that will give HIWU the discretion to determine that it is more likely than not that the positive was a case of contamination or inadvertent exposure, as we like to call it, and not an intentional administration. The penalties have been substantially reduced per this rule change that's coming.”

This week's look at a Coolmore sire focused on champion 2-year-old Corniche (Quality Road). He was undefeated as a juvenile with wins the GI American Pharoah S. and the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He was purchased for $1.5 million at the 2021 Ocala April Sale by a team that included TDN Writers' Room regular Zoe Cadman, who recalled how she was blown away the first time she saw the horse. Standing for $25,000, Corniche's first foals are arriving this week.

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by WinStar Farm, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association,1/ST Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and XBTV.com, the team of Randy Moss, Cadman and Bill Finley looked back at the impressive maiden win at Gulfstream by 'TDN Rising Star' Conquest Warrior (City of Light) who overcame a ton of trouble to post the victory. A $1 million Keeneland September purchase, he's one to keep an eye on as the road to the GI Kentucky Derby progresses.

The team was united in its praise of Churchill Downs for raising the purse of the Derby from $3 million to $5 million, while also calling on the two other Triple Crown tracks to match Churchill's move. Cadman also brought up the point that the GI Kentucky Oaks goes for $1.25 million and is deserving of a substantial purse hike.

To watch the Writers' Room podcast video, click here. To listen to an audio version, click here.

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