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The TDN Oaks Top 10 for Mar. 25

For most of this year, this has been a division where no one necessarily stood out. That all changed last Saturday at the Fair Grounds, where Travel Column won the GII Fair Grounds Oaks, soundly beating her rival, Clairiere (Curlin). Not only did she defeat a top horse, it was a dominating performance. There are still a bunch of preps to go, but unless someone steps up with a phenomenal effort in a prep, Travel Column will be your favorite in the GI Kentucky Oaks.

After running sixth in the Fair Grounds Oaks, Zaajel (Street Sense) drops off our list. We're also taking out Vequist (Nyquist). Though her connections have not announced that she is out of the Oaks after her poor performance in the GII Davona Dale S. on Feb. 22, she has not had a workout since that race, an indication she will not make the Oaks.

The highlight this weekend will be the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, which will feature Malathaat (Curlin) and Simply Ravishing (Laoban), both of whom will be making a belated 3-year-old debut.

1) TRAVEL COLUMN (Frosted–Swingit, by Victory Gallop)
'TDN Rising Star' O-OXO Equine. B-Mr. & Mrs. Bayne Welker, Jr. & Denali Stud (KY). T-Brad Cox. Sales History: $850,000 ylg '19 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: MGSW & GISP, 5-3-1-1, $517,184.
Last Start: 1st GII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks, FG, Mar. 20
Accomplishments Include: 1st GII Golden Rod S., CD, Nov. 28, 2nd GII Rachel Alexandra S. presented by Fasig-Tipton, FG, Feb. 13, 3rd GI Darley Alcibiades S., KEE, Oct. 2
Next Start: GI Kentucky Oaks, CD, Apr. 30
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 132

Having trained so many outstanding fillies, Brad Cox is starting to become to the Kentucky Oaks what Bob Baffert is to the GI Kentucky Derby. He's won two of the last three runnings and has the likely favorite this year in Travel Column. It looks like her connections went back to the drawing board after she was defeated by Clairiere in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. Florent Geroux rode her more aggressively as she was never more than a length off the lead. Meanwhile, Clairiere was last at the first call and, from there, had too much to do to catch Travel Column. Travel Column, an $850,000 purchase at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, could give owner Larry Best, a very big spender at the sales over the last few years, his biggest win yet.

2) CLAIRIERE (Curlin–Cavorting, by Bernardini)
O/B-Stonestreet Stables (KY). T-Steve Asmussen. Lifetime Record: GSW, 4-2-2-0, $350,492.
Last Start: 2nd GII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks, FG, Mar. 20
Accomplishments Include: 1st GII Rachel Alexandra S. presented by Fasig-Tipton, FG, Feb. 13, 2nd GII Golden Rod S., CD, Nov. 28
Next Start: GI Kentucky Oaks, CD, Apr. 30
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 94

Is an outstanding filly, but can she beat Travel Column? It's been good to see the two go after one another and create a rivalry that started last year in the GII Golden Rod S. Travel Column has won two of their three meetings and, simply, looked like a better horse in the Fair Grounds Oaks. With both running well this year and with a bunch of others stubbing their toe, it would be no surprise if the Oaks exacta was Travel Column-Clairiere. A horse with no early speed, Clairiere may need a fast pace to set up her run in the Oaks.

3) WILL'S SECRET (Will Take Charge–Girls Secret, by Giant's Causeway)
O/B-Willis Horton Racing (KY). T-Dallas Stewart. Lifetime Record: GSW, 6-3-0-2, $343,300.
Last Start: 1st GIII Honeybee S., OP, Mar. 6
Accomplishments Include: 1st Martha Washington S., OP, Jan. 30
Next Start: Possible for GIII Fantasy S., OP, Apr. 3
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 60

Trainer Dallas Stewart is always dangerous in these big races, but it's usually with longshots. This time around, he has a quality filly who may be one of the favorites in the race. She took four starts to break her maiden, but once she made it to the winner's circle she has never looked back. Her win last time out in the GIII Honeybee S. was her third in a row and her second straight stakes win. She has never faced Travel Column, but did finish third behind Clairiere in a maiden race last fall at Churchill. The jockey is 60-year-old Jon Court, who, presumably, would become the oldest jockey ever to win the race.

4) MALATHAAT (Curlin–Dreaming of Julia, by A.P. Indy)
'TDN Rising Star' O-Shadwell Stable. B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings (KY). T-Todd Pletcher. Sales History: $1,050,000 ylg '19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-0-0, $172,150.
Last Start: 1st GII Demoiselle S., AQU, Dec. 5
Accomplishments Include: 1st Tempted S., AQU, Nov. 6
Next Start: GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, GP, Mar. 27
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 10

Because she had a minor setback and missed the Davona Dale S., the connections have had to put all their eggs in one basket in the Gulfstream Park Oaks. Unraced since December, Malathaat will need to move forward off of this race to have a chance in the Oaks. She will also need the points, as the 10 she has accrued so far may not be good enough to get her into the field. A beautifully-bred filly who sold for $1.05 million at the sales, she is undefeated in three career starts, but may not have been beating the top guns in this division. Has been working steadily at Palm Beach Downs for her return.

5) SIMPLY RAVISHING (Laoban–Four Wishes, by More Than Ready)
O-Harold Lerner, Magdalena Racing & Nehoc Stables.
B-Meg Levy (NY). T-Ken McPeek. Sales History: $50,000 ylg '19 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: GISW, 5-3-0-0, $414,200.
Last Start: 4th GII Golden Rod S., CD, Nov. 28
Accomplishments Include: 1st GI Darley Alcibiades S., KEE,
Oct. 2, 1st P.G. Johnson S., SAR, Sept. 3
Next Start: GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, GP, Mar. 27
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 13

Trainer Kenny McPeek will take an unusual route to the Oaks, starting this filly in just one prep race. A filly who was very good in the GI Alcibiades S. and not so good in the GII Golden Rod S., she is a bit of an enigma. Like so many other top horses trainer Kenny McPeek has developed, she has turned out to be quite a bargain. She cost just $50,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall yearling sale. Broke her maiden on the turf, so if things don't work out for her on her way to the Kentucky Oaks, there's always the option that she could go back to the grass.

6) BEAUTIFUL GIFT (Medaglia d'Oro–Sea Gift, by A.P. Indy)
O/B-Baoma Corporation (KY). T-Bob Baffert. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-0-1, $99,600.
Last Start: 1st GIII Santa Ysabel S., SA, Mar. 7
Next Start: GII Santa Anita Oaks, SA, Apr. 3
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 50

The likely favorite in the GII Santa Anita Oaks, a win there would cement her status as the top 3-year-old filly in California. She comes from the Bob Baffert barn, but was not a typical Baffert overnight sensation. She broke her maiden in her second career start after stretching out from 5 1/2 furlongs to a mile and took things to another level when winning the GIII Santa Ysabel S. Baffert will be after his fourth Oaks win and his third since 2011.

7) SEARCH RESULTS (Flatter–Co Cola, by Candy Ride {Arg})
O-Klaravich Stables Inc. B-Machmer Hall (KY). T-Chad Brown. Sales History: $310,000 ylg '19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: SW, 2-2-0-0, $161,500.
Last Start: 1st Busher Invitational S., AQU, Mar. 6
Next Start: GII Gazelle S., AQU, Apr. 3
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 50

Chad Brown is not just a grass trainer. With a filly who could turn out to be one of the better dirt horses he has ever trained, Brown sent her back to New York from Florida for the March 6 Busher Invitational, a move that paid off with a half-length win. She has stayed in New York and is headed to the GII Gazelle S.at Aqueduct. But even if she is to win there, there will be the question of what kind of horses she has been racing against. The New York route to the Kentucky Oaks looks like one of the weakest.

8) PAULINE'S PEARL (Tapit–Hot Dixie Chick, by Dixie Union)
O/B-Stonestreet Stables LLC (KY). T-Steve Asmussen. Lifetime Record: GSP, 4-1-1-1, $101,500.
Last Start: 2nd GIII Honeybee S., OP, Mar. 6
Next Start: Possible for GIII Fantasy S., OP, Apr. 3
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 20

May not be as good as stablemate Clairiere, but certainly belongs in the discussion after finishing second behind Will's Secret in the Honeybee S. at Oaklawn. It was a big effort as it was her first start after breaking her maiden. She probably will need to improve to have a shot in the Oaks, but that is not at all out of the question. Goes out for the team of Steve Asmussen and Stonestreet Stables, which enjoyed so much success with Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro).

9) WHOLEBODEMEISTER (Bodemeister–Wholelottashakin, by Scat Daddy)
O/B-Sabana Farm (KY). T-Juan Avila. Lifetime Record: GSW,
7-3-0-1, $175,922.
Last Start: 1st GII Davona Dale S., GP, Feb. 27
Next Start: GI Kentucky Oaks, CD, Apr. 30
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 52

Hard to know what to make of this filly, who is coming off a win at 52-1 in the Davona Dale. Not only did she win, she blew the field apart, winning by 6 ½ lengths. Is she that good or was the race a fluke? We won't get the results until the Oaks itself as trainer Juan Avila has elected to skip what are, for most, the final round of preps. Will be a big long shot in the Oaks, but if she runs back to the Davona Dale, anything is possible.

10) MISS BRAZIL (Palace Malice–Bay Street, by Forestry)
O-Team D & Madaket Stable. B-Haymarket Farm LLC (KY). T-Anthony Dutrow. Sales History: $170,000 ylg '19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: SW, 4-2-1-1, $158,600.
Last Start: 2nd Busher Invitational S., AQU, Mar. 6
Accomplishments Include: 1st Ruthless S., AQU, Feb. 8
Next Start: Possible for GII Gazelle S., AQU, Apr. 3
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 20

Trained by Tony Dutrow, this filly emerged in November with a solid win in a maiden race and followed that up with a runaway win in the Ruthless S. She didn't win in her next start, the Busher, but did pass an important test. In her first start beyond seven furlongs, she set the pace and did not give way until the final yards, losing the one-mile race by a half-length. Has never gone around two turns, so that is another question she will have to answer. If she makes it that far, could be the pacesetter in the Oaks.

The post The TDN Oaks Top 10 for Mar. 25 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Morey Barn Ready to Make Some Noise

Trainer William Morey picked up three for his stable while shopping the 2-year-old sales in Ocala last spring. Two of them, led by the streaking GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks-bound Hush of a Storm (Creative Cause), will compete on Saturday's loaded program at Turfway Park.

“Two have won stakes, and, of course, the other filly hasn't made the races,” Morey said. “We've had some bitter and sweet, but lots of sweet along the way.”

Hush of a Storm, a $75,000 OBS Spring purchase (:21 3/5; consigned by de Meric Sales) by the Joseph P. Morey, Jr. Revocable Trust, is one of the main contenders from a full field of 12 in the $250,000 road to the GI Kentucky Derby prep race, carrying qualifying points of 100-40-20-10.

A well-beaten eighth in his Churchill debut last November, Hush of a Storm is a perfect three-for-three over the Turfway synthetic since, including a good-looking, come-from-behind win in the local prep John Battaglia Memorial S. Feb. 26 (video). The field that day included the re-opposing GISW Gretzky the Great (Nyquist).

Bred by Berkshire Stud, Hush of a Storm is the first foal out of the winning Flatter mare Hush Now, a full-sister to MSW & MGSP Brigand and a half-sister to SW Sky Music (Sky Mesa).

The New York-bred completed his Jeff Ruby preparations with a five-furlong breeze in 1:02.60 (38/46) at Turfway last Saturday.

“He's training like a monster,” Morey said. “I know he's gonna have to be with the waters getting deeper and deeper as we go on, but he's training like a good horse. All systems are a go for the Jeff Ruby.”

Morey will also saddle Sandin Syndicate Stable's Pico d'Oro (Curlin), a $255,000 OBS March acquisition (:21 1/5; consigned by Eddie Woods), in the $65,000 Animal Kingdom S. on the Jeff Ruby undercard. Last year's Runhappy Juvenile S. winner cuts back to 6 1/2 furlongs after flashing speed and tiring to eighth behind his stablemate in the Battaglia. He was a close third as the favorite in Aqueduct's Jimmy Winkfield S. two back.

Other entrants on Saturday's Turfway card for Morey include: Queen of God (Paynter) in the Latonia S. and Visitant (Ghostzapper) in the Kentucky Cup Classic.

“Tough little horse, but not quite a route horse,” Morey said of Pico d'Oro. “Pico's got a big heart and a great stride. He's a hard trier.”

The son of the late, CTBA Hall of Fame trainer William J. Morey, Jr. relocated to the bluegrass with his wife Elizabeth two years ago from his native California. Highlights from his 1,700-plus career victories include wins in 2018 by Ollie's Candy in the GII Summertime Oaks and Coniah in the GIII Las Cienegas S.

“I worked for dad [as an assistant] through high school and college,” Morey said. “I went on my own in '01. Surprisingly enough, it's been 20-21 years now all of sudden. It's crazy how time flies. I can remember the days working for him.”

He added with a laugh, “The good days and the bad days, that's for sure.”

Morey trains approximately 30 head, split currently between Turfway and Keeneland with plans to head to Churchill later this spring. The 46-year-old will also have a division at Del Mar this summer.

“We're enjoying our time and our life here in Kentucky,” Morey said. “It's a beautiful place to live and to train. Hoping to continue to get better and better horses. We've got some good ones on the way.”

One of those in the pipeline to keep an eye on–a colt from the first crop of the much buzzed-about MGISW Practical Joke–was selected by Morey on behalf of Gerry Sandin's aforementioned operation for $210,000 at last week's OBS March Sale.

Consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent VIII, as Hip 113, the son of the multiple stakes-winning City Zip mare Mystic City breezed a quarter in :21 1/5 at the under-tack show.

“He's got that Classic, Derby colt look to him,” Morey said. “Let's hope he's that good. But that's the look he has. And that's the look that sells. That was the same kind of look I saw last year in Hush of a Storm.”

Morey concluded, “Maybe Hush will take us some places that we haven't been yet. I've won a few graded races, but haven't run in any of the Classics. Maybe a horse like Hush will take us somewhere like that.”

The post Morey Barn Ready to Make Some Noise appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Juvenile Sales Put Fourth-Book Sires Back on the Map

By the time a stallion's fourth book opens, the team behind him is usually pulling out all their stops to fill those pages. But perhaps no marketing technique in their repertoire can have quite the same effect as just one big price tag when the stallion's first crop of juveniles go to market.

At last week's OBS March Sale, three first-crop juvenile sires were represented by youngsters that surpassed the $500,000 mark in the sales ring, and representatives from each of their respective farms said the phone has been ringing off the hook for breeding contracts since.

The first young sire to score a half-million-dollar sale was Lane's End's 'TDN Rising Star' Unified, when Hip 163, a Wavertree-consigned colt out of Promise Me a Cat (D'wildcat), hammered home for $530,000. The $190,000 KEESEP graduate had clocked the fastest quarter mile of Thursday's breeze show, going in :20 2/5.

Lane's End's Bill Farish said that since the colt's headline-worthy sale, Unified's book has received a major bump in numbers.

“We've gotten over 30 new contracts and they're still coming in,” Farish said. “So he's going to end up with a really nice book of mares. He's getting very close to full.”

While Unified was busy in his first two years at stud with a combined 254 mares bred, he only managed a 68-mare book in 2020, a number sure to be surpassed this year after his first crop's splash at OBS.

Six of his juveniles went through the sales ring in Ocala, including two additional six-figure colts. A $19,000 FTOCT graduate, Hip 110 returned to the auction ring to sell to Spendthrift Farm for $400,000. Later that day, Hip 159 went for $120,000.

While Unified's $43,390 average at the yearling sales last year kept him just short of the top 10 first-crop yearling sires, a $231,000 average coming out of the OBS sale has him in the early running for the leading 2-year-old sales average within his class.

“They certainly looked, as yearlings, like they would be good 2-year-olds,” Farish said. “But once you get a saddle under them and they get into training, you can tell a lot more about if that's a genuine thing or not. It certainly looks like Unified is answering the questions the right way.”

A second first-crop juvenile sire garnered attention before the sale began when Hip 531, a son of Spendthrift's Gormley, fired a :9 4/5 bullet at the breeze show. On the second day of the sale, the $160,000 Fasig-Tipton Select yearling pinhook for Eddie Woods's Quarter Pole Enterprises went for $550,000 to Breeze Easy LLC.

“I got calls from several people about that horse,” Spendthrift's Mark Toothaker said of the youngster. “I had heard Eddie reviewing his group before the sale and he talked highly of him before he ever breezed, so that lets you know you're seeing some nice things moving towards the sale.”

Toothaker said that he, too, has been busy taking calls from breeders interested in sending mares to Gormley.

“I think we've done about a dozen seasons off of the sale,” Toothaker said. “We're hoping that he can follow it up with another strong sale in Miami [at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale, Mar. 31] to really get us some momentum, but we definitely picked up some business. It isn't to the point yet where we're full and trying to turn people away, but it certainly has helped.”

Toothaker added that Gormley's success at OBS is also reflected in the attention he's received from Share the Upside investors.

“One of the things we've seen is that some of the people who had not named a mare on their free spot now have called and have named a mare,” he said. “So we have picked up some business with the sale, but it has also stimulated our breeding right holders to go ahead and breed a mare to him this year. We've been reaching out to folks to make the pitch that, 'Hey, this horse is right there for leading freshman sire. Wouldn't you want one in foal to him?'”

Eddie Woods-consigned colt out of Green Eyed Cat (Tale of the Cat) one of three juveniles to reach six figures for Spendthrift's Gormley. | Photos by Z

Gormley was represented by eight juveniles at the OBS Sale. Of the seven sold, three reached the six-figure mark. Another Eddie Woods trainee, Hip 371, brought $250,000 while Hip 234 went to Patrick Biancone for $130,000. Gormley's $153,857 average from the sale increased off his $37,544 yearling average last year.

“When you sell them as yearlings, there's a missing piece in the equation,” Toothaker replied when asked on what changed as Gormley's first crop matured from yearlings to juveniles. “They can look fast as yearlings, but when you go through the ring as 2-year-olds they have to be fast. I think Gormley just separated himself out. [Last year], everyone looked at him as a horse with a modest stud fee and he probably sold his yearlings where they should have sold. Then when they had a chance to perform on the track, that changed the metrics and he increased his average dramatically.”

Breeding a combined 307 mares in his first two years, Gormley bred 72 mares last year off a $7,500 stud fee.

Both Toothaker and Farish spoke about the major impact a strong showing at the early juvenile sales can have on a stallion's book in his fourth year at stud.

“The 2-year-old sales are big help,” Toothaker said. “They get your name out there and it makes people take a second look. That's all you're asking, is to still be in the game.”

“When you have a fourth-year sire, nowadays with the large books it gets tougher and tougher to find mares until breeders have something to believe in because it's a big risk to breed to a fourth-year sire if you're not very encouraged by what you're seeing,” Farish echoed. “When they have good results at the sales it can really make a difference.”

Both Gormley and Unified will have to contend with a third major player for leading freshman sire status.

Practical Joke made a major splash at last week's sale with a $750,000 sales topper and four more juveniles reaching six figures, and while Coolmore's Adrian Wallace said the farm has received inquiries about the Ashford resident over the last few days, his book was full before the sale began.

“Yes, we've gotten calls on Practical Joke this week, but unfortunately we've been unable to fulfill their requests because Practical Joke is the worst-kept secret out there,” he said. “His 2-year-olds have been doing very, very well and they have been from the beginning, so most people were aware that the horse has been full before we got to see the results from the March sale.”

Practical Joke's leading sale at OBS was Hip 311, a filly out of Peruvian champion Valiant Emilia (Per) (Pegasus Wind). A $120,000 KEESEP purchase for Top Line Sales LLC, the daughter of the buzzed-about sire brought $750,000 after breezing in :9 4/5.

Wallace reported that Gabriela Alvarez-Calderon of Teneri Farms already has Valiant Emilia slated to return to Practical Joke again this year.

The son of Into Mischief has maintained a large book in his first few years at stud, seeing 220 mares in 2018 before filling a 200 and 188-mare book the following two years. His $120,243 yearling average last year placed him amongst the top five first-crop yearling sires.

Last week, he saw seven youngsters go through the ring with five selling to average $296,000. Hip 113, a colt out of SW Mystic City (City Zip) brought $210,000 while four hips earlier, a filly from the Old South Farm consignment sold for $200,000.

“Not a single race has been run yet and we're very mindful of that, but nevertheless it's good to see them in demand and gallop out so well at the breeze sale, and then see a continuation of what they achieved as yearlings,” Wallace said.

Practical Joke filly goes for $750,000 to top the OBS March Sale. | Photos by Z

While Practical Joke didn't necessarily need the added boost of a near-million-dollar sale in order to fill this year's book, Wallace said the added publicity does nothing but help in kicking off this young sire's fourth year at stud.

“It makes them relevant,” Wallace replied when asked what a successful sale helps achieve for a young stallion. “The first-season sires, as most people are aware, are the ones that are easy to sell. They're the ones people put their faith in and they're fresh in people's minds, possibly because they could be the next biggest thing but also because they've never done anything wrong. There's less risk involved.”

He continued, “By the time you get to the fourth and fifth year, the talking stops and the advertising stops, so it very much depends on how they sold as yearlings and how the 2-year-old buyers perceive them. If you're lucky enough to have a horse that's well-received in the marketplace, then it's all well and good.”

One first-crop juvenile Ashford resident that did reap the benefits of a solid OBS Sale was Cupid. Off a $46,786 yearling average last year, the son of Tapit was represented by two six-figure juvenile sales in Ocala, and Wallace reported that his fourth book has increased by 20 mares in the past week.

Both Farish and Toothaker echoed that several of their first-year juvenile sires cashed in on the results of last week.

Spendthrift's Lord Nelson averaged $103,937 at OBS with Hip 67, a colt out of SP Luna Dorada (Seeking the Gold) selling for $385,000.

Toothaker said the son of Pulpit had 15 slots remaining going into last week, and those spots have since been filled.

“We've been saying here for a month that we felt like with a good showing from Lord Nelson and Gormley there at OBS, it would probably finish Lord Nelson off and spark a fire underneath the breeding right holders on Gormley,” he explained.

Meanwhile Lane's End's Connect had three six-figure sales, including Hip 503, a colt that sold for $290,000 to Narvick International.

“Connect has a really good group going to Gulfstream, and from what I'm told an even better group going to the April sale,” Farish said. “He's picked up some mares, not as many as Unified, but I think his better ones are in the sales to come.”

Farish can remember another stallion at Lane's End from not too long ago that saw an explosion in demand after his first juveniles went through the sales ring.

“Stephen Got Even had a 2-year-old bring $2 million and change that Sheikh Mohammed bought,” he recalled. “His book jumped by over 100 when that happened. It was absolutely amazing. It has to be genuine when that happens because everybody down there in Ocala is too savvy, so it has to be real and that certainly set his book on fire, and Unified has had a similar reaction.”

Wallace said that Munnings is one Ashford sire that comes to mind as one who saw a jump in demand after his first juvenile sales, while Toothaker reported the same of Goldencents at Spendthrift.

Looking at the bigger picture, Farish said that for now, his sale's team must hold their breath as the whims of the market help decide the size of their stallions' fourth book, but in the future, The Jockey Club's 140-mare cap could change this trend.

“What we've seen in the last 10 years is that it's tougher and tougher to fill any stallion that is not a first year or proven,” he said. “When you're in that crucial second-through-fourth year, it's very competitive because the first-year and proven stallions are getting so many mares that it doesn't leave room for the unproven stallions. With the mare cap, all those mares are going to have to go somewhere. They're going to have to go either to additional new stallions or the second-through-fourth-year horses and hopefully smooth out that transition.”

Taylor Made's Midnight Storm (average $190,000, top price $240,000) and Airdrie's American Freedom (average $123,666 average, top price $260,000) were also in the top five first-crop sires by average.

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Layden, Knuckley Look to Keep the Mojo Going at Gulfstream Sale

James Layden and Kevin Knuckley, who enjoyed a pinhooking home run with their JK Bloodstock partnership at the OBS March sale, will look to keep the momentum going at next week's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale of Selected 2-Year-Olds in Training. Layden takes a three-horse consignment into the South Florida auction, two of whom–a colt by Ghostzapper and a colt by Speightstown–he owns in partnership with Knuckley.

Layden and Knuckley, who are partners on 12 juveniles to pinhook this spring, got off to a quick start in Ocala when an Uncle Lino filly (hip 416) they had purchased for $6,500 as a weanling at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic December Mixed Sale brought a final bid of $200,000 at OBS following a furlong work in :10 flat.

“She was just a good individual, well-balanced and just a nice-looking baby,” Layden said of the filly's appeal as a weanling. “She just grew up and was the same horse in a bigger size. I knew she could run when she left the farm and I was hoping she would work like she did. She galloped out really big and made a beautiful video. So everything just came together with her. But she's a good individual and nice horses perform when it's their time. I am happy with the result, but she was worth it. You don't have horses like that everyday.”

Layden and Knuckley have been partnering on horses for the past four years and for Knuckley, a native Texan and owner of a Ditch Witch construction equipment dealership, the partnership has been a dream come true for a lifelong racing fan.

“My true passion for racing started at a Class II track called Trinity Meadows in Willow Park, Texas, just west of Fort Worth,” Knuckley recalled. “I was 16 years old and it was just me and my dad going to the track. Naturally, I got to bet illegally and I won a little bit and that really got me hooked. Finally in 1997, Lone Star Park became a reality and we got Class I racing in Texas and I would go out to the track any time I could.”

Knuckley's father Paul eventually got involved in racing partnerships.

“We had middling racing success with some of these older claimers,” the son recalled.

One near-miss for the father-son team still resonates years later.

“Dad had a choice,” Knuckley said. “He had to pick between a horse called Scoot the Goose and Charismatic. And he chose Scoot the Goose. He loves to tell that story.”

Scoot the Goose (Fly Till Dawn) would win twice in 12 lifetime starts and earn just over $37,000 on the racetrack. Charismatic would win the 1996 GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S.

Knuckley eventually found his way into the pinhooking game with Texas-based trainer Michael Neatherlin and while pinhooking a pair of juveniles with another partner at the 2017 Gulfstream sale, met up with Layden.

“We bonded over those few days and really got to know each other,” Knuckley said. “We shook hands after the sale and we walked out of the parking lot that night and [Fasig-Tipton's] Terence Collier walked out with us and congratulated James on the sale. It was a really cool moment. I had met James at a couple sales at Keeneland and I didn't know what his prior success was, but I could tell he was a good horseman.”

The JK Bloodstock pinhooking partnership was born that night in the Gulfstream parking lot.

“We have this system working,” Knuckley said of the partnership. “When I go to sales, I'm not the guy who knows just enough to be dangerous. I know a little more than that. And I'm still dangerous. I would never buy a horse without having a true horseman inspect him and take a look at it. And that's certainly where James comes in on this deal.”

Knuckley describes himself as the research and numbers side of the operation.

“I am really good on pedigrees,” Knuckley said. “I have really studied the breed pretty intensely. And then I'll look back at the Auction Edge and I'll go back and look at True Nicks and I'll do the nerd work, I guess. Because I'm a numbers guy. I can see some things in the physicals–and it's great now that they have the videos–but I can look back at the numbers, at the sales figures, I can certainly look at dosage profiles and how the sales are working–whether it be a sire or the family, certain crosses. Not everything can be about the pedigree, but I do know this, the ones that perform outside of their pedigree are clearly the exceptions and not the rules. So I believe in pedigree, I believe in good crosses, I believe in dosage profiles and the grading systems, especially if you look at the stakes results, you can see many of these are As and A+s.”

While Knuckley wasn't able to attend the Midlantic December sale in 2019, the filly with a light pedigree page impressed Layden, who reported back to his partner.

“James picked out this Uncle Lino filly and it was his first or second crop and he is a Maryland sire who wasn't getting a lot of recognition at that point–I think he was a $4,000 sire,” Knuckley said. “But James said, 'I really like this filly. I really think she can grow into something.' And then I looked and I said, 'She is checking all the boxes on my end, the cross, the dosage. The only thing that wasn't there was the page. Her page was extremely light, but for $6,500, we had a lot of potential. So we were thinking maybe she'll bring $40,000 of $50,000.”

Knuckley wasn't able to watch the filly sell at OBS.

“I was on a flight for a spring break trip with my kids and I knew I was probably going to miss her,” Knuckley said. “James said, 'I think there is a shot she brings $100,000.' And I said that would be great, that's a home run. I get off the flight and the text pops up and he said, 'She brought $200,000.' And I just about flipped. I couldn't believe it. It's the biggest home run–as far as a multiple goes–I've ever had on a pinhook. I mean 30X. That's insane.”

JK Bloodstock will offer a pair of colts at the Gulfstream sale, led off by a colt by Ghostzapper (hip 69) who is the first foal out of Alpine Sky (Indian Charlie), a daughter of graded winner Alpine Garden (Lemon Drop Kid).

“He doesn't have as quick a turn of foot, but he's a really nice colt,” Layden said of the dark bay. “He's going to make a nice racehorse later on. He's kind of a 3-year-old type, it looks like.”

The colt was purchased for $130,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase.

The partnership will also be represented at the Gulfstream sale by a colt by Speightstown (hip 124). Out of Holiday Blues (Ghostzapper), a half-sister to multiple graded placed Wine Police (Speightstown), the juvenile was a $90,000 purchase at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale.

“He's a pretty nice colt and he's doing very well,” Layden said. “He may not be a bullet here, but he'll be in the top 20%.”

Layden's Gulfstream consignment is completed by a son of Mastery (hip 56), who is a half-brother to the speedy Nashville (Speightstown). Layden purchased the colt for $80,000 at the Fasig October sale, just a week before Nashville's record-setting victory in the Perryville S. at Keeneland.

“That's a good update that we got after we got him,” Layden said of the colt. “And he's doing really well right now. I look for him to be pretty good, too.”

Of his Gulfstream trio, Layden said, “All three of these are big, strong colts and when you come down with this kind of competition, you've got to have something pretty substantial to actually hold up.”

Layden will look for his Gulfstream consignment to continue on from the successful result at OBS.

“There are always high expectations with what we've got,” he said. “Because we've got some pretty nice horses, I think, all the way through the sales.”

For his part, Knuckley balances his optimism with a healthy dose of realistic expectations.

“I've been to that Gulfstream sale and had some success there,” Knuckley said. “And I've also had some heartache there. We had two get hurt there and we thought they were going to bring a quarter-million dollars a piece. So, as with any endeavor in this business, you kind of hold your breathe a little bit. Anything can happen, but the two individuals we have there are by proven, prolific sires. Ghostzapper and Speightstown are about as solid as they come.”

As the partnership moves into the second juvenile auction of the year, Knuckley is clearly enjoying the ride.

“We are a small operation,” he said. “James is based in Ehrhardt, South Carolina and I'm back here in Fort Worth, Texas. I'm just an individual owner, I'm not part of a high-powered stable. So for us to hit these kind of home runs, it gives you goose bumps some times. As our little partnership has grown, we've been able to take a little more risk and make some larger buys. When you get to check off that bucket list of going to Saratoga two summers ago for the yearling sale there and to be able to go this Gulfstream sale, I just got to tell you, that's part of the dream. Outside of going to the Derby in this business, it is fulfilling a big part of the dream. And to do it with someone like James Layden, who has taught me a lot and brought me in with this experience, it's really hard to put into words about how much this means to me. James should get all the credit, he does a lot of the work. I'm extremely proud and honored to be his partner.”

The under-tack show for the Gulfstream sale will be held next Monday beginning at 9 a.m. The auction will be held next Wednesday with bidding scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.

The post Layden, Knuckley Look to Keep the Mojo Going at Gulfstream Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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