One More Race for the Partners in a `Horse of a Lifetime’

After Uni (GB) (More Than Ready)’s five-year-old campaign which concluded in the Champion Turf Female award, bloodstock advisors suggested to the partners in her ownership group that it might be time to retire and sell her. After all, the owners had probably already gotten more than they had bargained for: they  had campaigned her at 3, 4, and 5, and watched her win three Grade I stakes as well as Grade II, Grade III and Listed events.

But, “Sol and I are and Bobby are racing guys,” said Michael Dubb of the decision made by him and partners Sol Kumin and Bob LaPenta to bring her back for one more year. “We want to race and she’s six years old now. Typically these broodmares are retired at five. And against the advice of bloodstock agents, we went ahead and raced her at six years old because we had so much fun winning the Breeders’ Cup once with her, and so we said, “Why not try to do it again?” So she will be pointing to the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland–the mile race against the boys.”

The decision to keep her in training for one more year has already proven to be a sound one, as Uni picked up her fourth Grade I win in Keeneland’s First Lady last out, had another Grade I placing earlier in the year, and has earned almost a quarter-million dollars in 2020. She’ll head into the Breeders’ Cup Mile as one of the top choices before selling at Fasig-Tipton November as Hip 228 for Elite Sales.

For Dubb, there’s another reason to keep her around for this year’s Breeders’ Cup: he was unable to see her 2019 win in person, and instead watched it on his iPhone standing on 10th Street in Manhattan.

“I could not be there last year because it was my daughter’s engagement party in New York City,” said Dubb. “I had to walk out of the restaurant and watch the race on my iPhone leaning on the hood of somebody’s car. And fortunately, my son walked out to see what his crazy dad was doing and to see the bedlam that was ensuing on 10th Street when the horse crossed the wire and made that tremendous come-from-behind run. So that was truly the greatest moment, but there have been so many with Uni.”

Uni was bred by Nicolas de Chambure’s Haras d’Etreham, and Dubb and Kumin bought into her early in her three-year-old year on the recommendation of Nicolas de Watrigant and Bradley Weisbord. She remained in France for her two races for the new ownership group, winning the Prix Matchem at Maisons-Laffitte against colts. Transferred to Chad Brown’s barn at Belmont in June, 2017, she was third first out in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational. The new owners bought out de Chambure, added Bob LaPenta to their group, and were off to the races.

Since that time, Uni has been consistently brilliant, winning four Grade Is, turning in a perfect four-for-four year in 2018, and was three-for-four in 2019 with a Breeders’ Cup win. Overall, she has won 10 of 17 starts and earned over $2.5 million.

Her win in the Breeders’ Cup Mile against males puts her in a rarefied air, as she joined some of the great race fillies and mares of all time in the feat, including Miesque, Goldikova and Tepin, becoming just the seventh filly or mare to win the race.

Her consistency and durability have been defining qualities, with her owners enjoying successful three, four, five and six-year-old seasons with her.

“We’ve watched and enjoyed Uni over an extended period of time,” said Fasig-Tipton CEO Boyd Browning. “She has maintained her form at the Grade I level for four seasons now. It was really interesting and really cool to see the performance that she put on recently in the First Lady, coming back and winning another Grade I in 2020 against an outstanding field. She’s been durable, she’s been consistent, but she’s also been brilliant. Those are certainly some of the characteristics that everyone’s looking for from a broodmare prospect with the potential that she would have on a long-term basis.”

Moreover, said Browning, she offers a rather unique pedigree.

“One of the things that’s really intriguing about Uni is her pedigree,” he said. “Not only is she by More Than Ready, who’s certainly become a sire who has had worldwide great success, both in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, but she’s out of a Dansili (GB) mare whose dam is by Generous. I think that you’ve got a really unique opportunity to kind of craft and create your own vision to utilize those bloodlines.

“It’s a great outcross pedigree, and it’s a family full of significant runners for many, many, many generations. But you’ve really got an opportunity to kind of put your fingerprint on it, and create a legacy that should hopefully endure for generations to come.”

For Dubb and his partners, though, enjoying her for these past four seasons has been the ride of a lifetime.

“Looking forward, we hope she can be a two-time winner against the boys of the Breeders’ Cup Mile,” he said. “And I will be at the Breeders’ Cup with my binoculars in my hands, cheering and clapping. But whether she does it or not, she has given us indescribable pleasure and joy.

“If you’re in the game as long as I am,” Dubb said, “this kind of horse sticks out. She’s really special. She’s the horse of a lifetime.”

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Authentic Co-Owners Kumin, Wolf Featured On Thursday’s Breeders’ Cup Cocktails & Conversation

The Breeders' Cup, one of Thoroughbred horse racing's most prestigious international events, announces special guests Sol Kumin and Jack and Laurie Wolf, co-owners of $1 million TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) favorite Authentic, for this week's installment of Cocktails & Conversation. The multi-platform broadcast is a recurring virtual happy hour series designed to rally the horse racing industry's most prominent figures to raise funds for communities that have been profoundly impacted by COVID-19.

The Cocktails & Conversation broadcast, airing Thursday, July 16 at 6 p.m. ET via Breeders' Cup's Twitter, YouTube and Facebook pages, will mark the 14th installment of the series. The episode will be hosted by Nick Luck and Britney Eurton of NBC Sports and 21 Club mixologist and creator of Breeders' Cup's official cocktails Mark Tubridy.

Kumin, raised in Boston, has enjoyed a successful career managing a financial services business. He transferred his acumen in venture capital to racehorse ownership, and over the past six years has risen to the top of the Thoroughbred game. Establishing partnerships through private purchases, Kumin's runners have scored major wins, including five Breeders' Cup victories: Lady Eli, 2014 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1); Wavell Avenue, 2015 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1); Monomoy Girl, 2018 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1); and two triumphs last year with British Idiom in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and Uni (GB) in the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1).

In 2018, Kumin became the first owner in 66 years to pull off an Oaks-Derby double, when Monomoy Girl won the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Justify, who he co-owned with the Wolfs' Starlight Racing, China Horse Club and WinStar Farm, won the Kentucky Derby (G1). Justify went on to win the Preakness Stakes (G1) and the Belmont Stakes (G1) to become racing's 13th Triple Crown winner. Justify later earned Champion 3-year-old Male and Horse of the Year honors.

Jack and Laurie Wolf, from Louisville, Ky., began purchasing yearlings in 2000. They have campaigned a number of high-profile runners, including the two-time champion filly Ashado, who won six Grade 1 races, notably the 2004 Breeders' Cup Distaff; Shanghai Bobby, who captured the 2012 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) as well as Justify. Under Starlight, the Wolfs have won more than 260 races and over $23 million in total earnings.

In 2011, Jack orchestrated the launch of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), the industry's first broad-based initiative to help retired Thoroughbreds. He was the TAA's first president and is a longtime member of its board of directors.

Authentic, who the Wolfs and Kumin co-own with Spendthrift Farm, is the morning-line favorite for Saturday's 1 1/8-mile Haskell for 3-year-olds, which will be broadcast live on NBC at 5 p.m. ET as a part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In – presented by America's Best Racing. The Haskell winner will earn an automatic starting position into the $7 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Authentic has won three of his four starts, which includes victories in the Sham Stakes (G3) and the San Felipe Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.

Thursday's live stream will commence with Tubridy leading a virtual mixology class for viewers, creating three refreshing cocktails to enjoy at home during the broadcast. Mark will be mixing up a “Lemon Drop Martini,” consisting of Tito's Handmade Vodka, triple sec, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and sugar rim. Mark's second cocktail will be a “Whiskey Smash,” made with Maker's Mark Bourbon, lemon wedges and simple syrup. Completing the cocktail trifecta, Mark also will prepare a “Mint Chocolate Cake Shot,” consisting of Lemon Peel Infused-Tito's, Frangelico and sugar-coated lemon.

Following the cocktail-mixing segment, the broadcast will feature a conversational interview with Kumin and the Wolfs, who will offer their perspectives and thoughts on Authentic, the TVG.com Haskell Stakes and the latest developments in horse racing. Fans will be able to submit questions via social media for the hosts and guests to answer during the broadcast for a truly interactive experience. Throughout the cocktail hour, viewers will be encouraged to donate to industry workers and communities in need through the official Breeders' Cup website.

Tapping all-star talents such as world-renowned jockeys Frankie Dettori and Mike Smith; leading trainers Tom Amoss, Bob Baffert, Chad Brown, Graham Motion, Doug O'Neill, Todd Pletcher, Dale Romans and Wesley Ward; NHL All-Star and Thoroughbred owner Erik Johnson; film and television actress and equestrian rider Bo Derek; owner Jeff Bloom; television personality and fashion designer Carson Kressley; and the NBC Sports' horse racing broadcasting team, Breeders' Cup has raised thousands of dollars through previous broadcasts.

All proceeds generated from Cocktails & Conversation are wholly donated to the following organizations benefitting the horse racing and hospitality industries:

  • Race Track Chaplaincy of America, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the needs of the horse racing community through social services, food and clothing banks and educational workshops.
  • USBG National Charity Foundation, which supports bartenders, barbacks and bar servers throughout the nation who have been financially impacted by restaurant and bar shutdowns as a result of the health crisis.
  • Restaurant Workers Relief Program, a project jointly formed by Maker's Mark and the Lee Initiative that has transformed restaurants in major cities into relief centers that offer food and supplies to affected hospitality workers.

To learn more about the virtual happy hour series and to support those in need, please visit https://www.breederscup.com/convos.

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‘So Great To See Her Back’: La Troienne Likely Next For Returning Champion Monomoy Girl

Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables' Monomoy Girl returned to graded stakes-winning form on Saturday with a two-length triumph in the Grade 2 Ruffian at Belmont Park, earning a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure.

Owner Sol Kumin of Monomoy Stables said he was pleased with the winning effort.

“It was so great to see her back,” Kumin said. “She had been training so well going into the race and this was just so exciting to see.”

Monomoy Girl will look to build on Saturday's victory with a possible start in the Grade 1 La Troienne on September 4 at Churchill Downs going 1 1/16 miles.

Trained by Brad Cox, Monomoy Girl was crowned Champion 3-Year-Old Filly in 2018, winning five Grade 1 races including the Acorn and Coaching Club American Oaks on the NYRA circuit en route to a triumph against elders in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs.

The 5-year-old Tapizar chestnut did not race at age 4 and was sent to WinStar Farm last spring after a mild case of colic and suffered an injury to her hamstring last fall when preparing for a potential comeback.

Prior to her Ruffian score, Monomoy Girl bested an optional claiming field over a sloppy main track going a one-turn mile at Churchill Downs by 2 ¾ lengths.

“Most likely she'll come back in the La Troienne,” Kumin said. “It's a good distance, there's good spacing between her races, and it's at Churchill Downs which is right at her front door. We'll discuss it further with the rest of the partners, but more than likely that's where you'll see her.”

Kumin is also a part owner of reigning Champion Older Filly Midnight Bisou as well as dual Grade 1 winner She's a Julie.

“Obviously the day is going to come where they'll have to face each other, but we'll keep them separate for the time being. I'm just very lucky to be involved with such great fillies. This is what the game is all about,” Kumin said.

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Brown Quartet Top Friday’s De La Rose At Saratoga

Trainer Chad Brown will have a strong hand in Friday's 17th renewal of the $85,000 De La Rose, saddling four of the eight contenders for the one mile event over the inner turf at Saratoga Race Course.

Brown, who won the De La Rose in 2018 with subsequent champion Uni, will send out a quality quartet headed by Noor Sahara, who will cut back in distance after finishing third against allowance optional claiming company going 1 1/8 miles on June 12 at Belmont Park.

The 4-year-old bay daughter of Lope de Vega made her North American debut last out as the favorite, tracking a slow pace up front, put herself in winning contention but was ultimately passed up in the final strides missing only a neck to Wegetsdamunnys. The effort was her first start of 2020 and first since September 19 where she was fifth against stakes company at Saint-Cloud in France for former trainer Fabrice Chappet.

“It might have been a little far for her,” Brown said of her last effort. “She hadn't run in a while off that effort so now she has that race under her belt. Cutting her back to a mile should do her some good.”

Owned by Sol Kumin and Jason Monteleone's Madaket Stable, Sienna Farm, Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables, Noor Sahara was a two-time winner in France, going one mile.

Three-time Saratoga leading jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. will pilot Noor Sahara from post 2.

Catch a Bid, winner of last year's Riskaverse over a yielding inner turf at the Spa, will try to keep her perfect record going one mile intact.

Owned by Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables, the bay daughter of Real Solution made her seasonal debut a winning one last out when leading an easy pace at every point of call in an allowance optional claiming event on June 14 at Churchill Downs. The running style was a different one for Catch a Bid, whose other two victories came when coming from well of the pace. After winning on debut over at Belmont Park last June, Catch a Bid was second to eventual graded stakes-winner Varenka before winning the Riskaverse.

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione retains the mount from post 1.

Peter Brant's Blowout has never finished off the board in eight career starts and will attempt to keep her consistent record unscathed from post 9.

The daughter of Dansili out of French Group 1-winner Beauty Parlour has never been beaten more than three-quarters of a length and will make her first start since finishing second in the Grade 3 Valley View on October 18 at Keeneland.
Blowout will attempt a third stakes victory having won the Wild Applause and the Pebbles over the Widener Turf Course at Belmont Park during her 3-year-old campaign.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, a three-time winner of the De La Rose, will pilot Blowout.

Rounding out the tetrad of Brown's contenders is Juddmonte Farm's Viadera, who made her North American debut last out finishing a distant fourth over a yielding turf to stablemate Newspaperofrecord in the Grade 3 Intercontinental at Belmont.

The 4-year-old daughter of Bated Breath was previously conditioned by G.M. Lyons overseas, where she won three starts, two of which took place going one mile. A Great Britain homebred, Viadera is out of the Beat Hollow broodmare Sacred Shield and comes from the same family as Group 1-winner Twice Over.

Jockey Joel Rosario, who sported Juddmonte's signature turquoise and pink colors when guiding Filimbi to a De La Rose win in 2014, will guide Viadera from post 6.

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Wonder Stables' Clara Peeters will be making her North American stakes debut in the De La Rose after a half-length allowance optional claiming score going seven furlongs over Belmont's Widener turf course on June 4.

Trained by Brad Cox, the 4-year-old daughter of Epaulette won twice in Great Britain for former conditioner Gary L. Moore and has placed in her last five outings. She made her United States debut at Fair Grounds on March 19 going one mile and finishing second beaten a neck after a slow start.

Completing the field are Passing Out [post 3, Jose Ortiz], Hogans Holiday [post 7, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] and Xenobia [post 8, Manny Franco].

Bridlewood Cat is entered for the main track only.

The De La Rose pays homage to Henryk de Kwiatkowski's 1981 Champion Grass Filly who won six graded stakes races over five different tracks, including the Diana at Saratoga and the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby against colts at Hollywood Park. The daughter of English Triple Crown winner Nijinsky was trained by Hall of Famer Woody Stephens.

The De La Rose is slated as Race 7 on Friday's 10-race card, which offers a first post of 1:10 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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