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Goldencents Leads the Way By 2021 Mares Bred

The Jockey Club has released its annual Report of Mares bred for 2021 and there's a new name atop the leader board. The Spendthrift Farm stallion Goldencents led all sires, having been bred to 230 mares. He was bred to 204 in 2020. His ascension to the top spot came after Spendthrift cut his stud fee from $25,000 to $15,000 and after a strong showing by his progeny in 2020.

Goldencents was the leading third-crop sire in 2020 with $6,653,183 in earnings. His top performer during the year was By My Standards, the winner of the GII New Orleans Classic S., GII Oaklawn H., GII Alysheba S. and second in the GI Whitney S.

The RMB statistics for the 2021 season report that 1,016 stallions covered 27,829 mares during the breeding season. Kentucky's 200 stallions covered 16,727 mares, or 60.1% of all of the mares reported bred in North America. The number of mares bred to Kentucky stallions increased 2.0% percent compared with the 16,391 reported at this time last year.

Of the top 10 states and provinces by number of mares reported bred in 2021, stallions in Kentucky, California, Ontario, and Indiana covered more mares in 2021 than in 2020, as reported at this time last year. Declines were registered in Florida (-9.2%), New York (-5.4%), Louisiana (-12.5%), Maryland (-3.5%), Pennsylvania (-28.6%) and Oklahoma (-7.4%).

Authentic, also a Spendthrift stallion, was a close second with 229 mares with what was his first book of mares. He stands for $70,000. Both Goldencents and Authentic are by Spendthrift's Into Mischief.

That a horse with a modest stud fee led the way was a departure from recent years when superstar stallions Uncle Mo and Into Mischief dominated the standings. Uncle Mo was the leading sire in the mares bred category in 2020 and 2016, while Into Mischief topped the list in 2017 and 2018. In 2019, there was a tie for first between Justify and Mendelssohn.

After being bred to 257 mares in 2020, Uncle Mo came in tied for 15th place, having been bred to 189 mares. Into Mischief, bred to 248 mares in 2020, was eighth in 2021 with 214 mares. In 2018, he was bred to 296 mares, including 53 on Southern Hemisphere time, the most during his stud career.

For the 2021 breeding season, Uncle Mo's stud fee was increased from $125,000 to $175,000. Into Mischief's fee was $225,000, up from $175,000 in 2020.

The Coolmore stallion Practical Joke was third on the 2021 list, having been bred to 223 mares. First-year stallion Vekoma was next with 222.

The most notable addition to the top 10 was Maclean's Music, who went from 57 mares in 2020 to 221 this year, good for fifth place. Maclean's Music, who stands at Hill 'n' Dale Farms, has no doubt seen his star rise thanks to his son Jackie's Warrior. Jackie's Warrior won the GI Hopeful S. and the GI Champagne S. last year at two and is in the midst of another stellar season that has included a win in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. at Saratoga.

Munnings (217) and Omaha Beach (215) were next. After Into Mischief, McKinzie (214) and Mitole (208) rounded out the top 10.

Six of the top 10 are Spendthrift stallions. Coolmore had two on the list and Hill 'n' Dale and Gainesway each had one.

In the years ahead, the list of sires who have covered the most mares should change drastically. Last year, The Jockey Club adopted a rule that will limit the number of mares a horse can be bred to 140. There is a grandfather clause and the rule will only cover horses born in 2020 or later. In 2021, 47 stallions were bred to 140 mares.

Kentucky stallions again dominated the list, accounting for the top 52 spots. The leader among non-Kentucky stallions was the New York sire Honest Mischief, who was bred to 127 mares.

In terms of individual state RMB leaders beyond Kentucky and Florida, the following stallions topped the covers list for their respective states/provinces:

California–Sir Prancelot (125)
Florida–Khozan (116)
Ontario–Reload (90)
Maryland–Golden Lad (77)
Oklahoma–Flat Out (77)
Pennsylvania-Warrior's Reward (67)

Last month, The Jockey Club reported that the projected foal crop for 2022 was 18,700. That represents a decline of 2.6% from 2021, the sixth straight year the number has fallen. The 2022 foal crop is set to be the smallest since 1965, when the foal crop was 18,846.

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Following Sea Earns 100 Beyer Speed Figure For Vosburgh, Mind Control To Start In BC Dirt Mile

Spendthrift Farm's homebred Following Sea matched a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure for his impressive gate-to-wire score in Saturday's $250,000 Grade 2 Vosburgh at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Piloted by Joel Rosario from the outermost post 4 in the six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up, Following Sea broke alertly and established command through splits of :22.59 and a half-mile in :45.24 on the fast main track.

Confidently handled throughout, Following Sea drew off to a 4 3/4-length score over multiple graded stakes winning millionaire Firenze Fire in a final time of 1:09.20.

The victory provided a “Win and You're In” berth to the $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., and also secured Following Sea's sire Runhappy his first graded stakes winner.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said he was pleased with the confident score by the lightly-raced sophomore.

“I wasn't 100 percent sure how the pace scenario was going to unfold,” Pletcher said. “We had the benefit of drawing an outside post, so we didn't have to make any strong commitment one way or the other. When he broke as well as he did, Joel asked him to go and he made the lead pretty effortlessly. I felt pretty confident at that point that he'd run well. He's come out of the race really well.”

Following Sea garnered a 100 Beyer in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance sprint against older company on June 3 in his first start for Pletcher. The talented bay was elevated to second in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Haskell in July at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., before turning back to seven furlongs and finishing third in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Pletcher said Following Sea could stretch out again in future engagements.

“He's a very talented horse and trains very impressively. He's also galloped out in a fashion that would indicate he might want to run longer at some point,” Pletcher said. “He's very fast and his two wins for us at Belmont were pretty impressive. It seemed like he had a lot left in the tank yesterday. He's a leggy colt, so I think he could continue to improve.”

Pletcher said no decision has been made as of yet regarding a start in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

“We had a brief exchange [with the connections] after the race and haven't committed to anything,” Pletcher said. “Obviously, being a 'Win and You're In' for the Sprint is attractive, but we'll see how the horse bounces back and talk to all the connections and come up with a game plan.”

Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables' multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Mind Control breezed a half-mile in :50.17 Friday over the Belmont dirt training track in his first work back following a game head score over Silver State in the Parx Dirt Mile on September 25.

“He looked like he was beaten and fought back gamely. It was impressive,” Pletcher said. “He's come back and trained with good energy and enthusiasm like he normally does.”

Mind Control earned a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Sprint for his Grade 2 John A. Nerud score here in July but Pletcher said following discussions with Red Oak Stable racing manager Rick Sacco that they have decided to enter the 5-year-old Stay Thirsty horse in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile on November 6 at Del Mar.

“I spoke with Rick Sacco after his breeze here the other day and we're going to give the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile a try,” Pletcher said. “I think as he's gotten older he's indicated that he wants to stretch out a little bit.”

Mind Control, who sports a ledger of 23-9-3-4 with purse earnings in excess of $1.4 million, captured the 2018 Grade 1 Hopeful and 2019 Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial at Saratoga. Since being transferred to Pletcher this summer, Mind Control has won 2-of-3 starts, including a head score over Firenze Fire in the seven-furlong Nerud.

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Pletcher will also be represented in the Dirt Mile by CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm's Life Is Good. The sophomore son of Into Mischief worked a half-mile Friday in :48.84 over the Belmont dirt training track in his first work back following a decisive 5 1/2-length score in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap on September 25 at Belmont.

“He's doing exceptionally well. He's a very impressive horse to watch train and his breeze was effortless,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher said the running style of Life Is Good, who captured the Grade 3 Sham and Grade 2 San Felipe at Santa Anita this winter for his former conditioner Bob Baffert, should complement that of his stablemate in the Dirt Mile.

“Life is Good is a very fast horse and I'd imagine he would be a significant pace factor and Mind Control would settle off the pace a little bit,” Pletcher said.

Shadwell Stable's multiple Grade 1-winner Malathaat breezed five-eighths in 1:01.42 Friday over the Belmont dirt training track. Pletcher said the regally-bred Curlin filly, out of the Grade 1-winning A.P. Indy mare Dreaming of Julia, is on target for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff on November 6.

“Just like always, she's a star. She trained well and galloped out strongly,” Pletcher said. “We have a couple more breezes to go, but we're very happy with where she is.”

Malathaat has won 6 of 7 starts, including Grade 1 scores this year in the Ashland at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.; the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.; and the Alabama at Saratoga.

StarLadies Racing's Jordan's Leo breezed a half-mile in :48.55 Saturday on the Belmont inner turf in preparation for the $200,000 Grade 2 Sands Point, a nine-furlong turf test for sophomore fillies on October 16.

By Malibu Moon, the $150,000 Fasig-Tipton July Kentucky Yearling Sale purchase posted a smart nine-furlong turf allowance win in August at the Spa ahead of a prominent second last out in the one-mile Pebbles October 9 on the Belmont lawn.

“She worked well yesterday,” Pletcher said. “I thought her effort in the Pebbles was a good performance, so we'll give her a chance to try again.”

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg's Sweet as Pie, a 2-year-old Tapit grey, garnered a 77 Beyer for a rallying 1 1/4-length score sprinting 6 1/2-furlongs in her debut Friday over Big Sandy.

“We were optimistic going in that she would have a good debut,” Pletcher said. “She drew the rail – which is always a concern going 6 1/2-furlongs – but I thought she handled it very professionally and finished up well.”

Out of the stakes-winning Smart Strike mare Treasuring, Sweet as Pie was purchased for $490,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase.

Sweet as Pie will now target the $150,000 Tempted, a one-turn mile that will be contested on November 5 over Big Sandy following Saturday's announcement regarding the three-day extension of the Belmont fall meet.

Pletcher said if all goes well, Sweet as Pie will continue to the nine-furlong $250,000 Grade 2 Demoiselle on December 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., which offers 10-4-2-1 qualifying points for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks.

“She has a pedigree that suggests she'd want to run further,” Pletcher said. “It's a good progression for her and the Tempted and Demoiselle could be a nice path for her.”

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Bombs Away in the Bourbon

Tiz the Bomb broke through the gate before the start and had to overcome a wide post, but those obstacles proved no matter as the improving colt picked up his second straight stakes win in Sunday's GII Castle & Key Bourbon S. at Keeneland, punching his ticket for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Easily the most expensive progeny of his sire to sell in 2020 when hammering for $330,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Sale, the bay only beat one horse home debuting over five furlongs on the Churchill dirt May 14, but improved drastically stretching out to a mile in an Ellis off-the-turfer July 2, cruising to a 14 1/4-length graduation. Stepping up in his first start on turf and initial try against winners to annex the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S. Sept. 6, Tiz the Bomb was made a fractional favorite in this full 14-horse field despite breaking through his stall and running off for about a furlong before being corralled and reloaded.

Finding a good spot racing in the clear in fourth behind fractions of :22.94 and :47.54, he got shuffled back a bit midway around the far turn and appeared to be spinning his wheels in sixth as the field straightened for home. Starting to find his best stride passing the three-sixteenths marker, Tiz the Bomb drew alongside a trio of battling leaders a furlong out, forged to the front soon after and inched clear to prevail. Stolen Base rallied late to get into second.

“It's not a good omen, typically, and yeah, it makes a trainer nervous when it happens, but [jockey] Brian [Hernandez] did a great job wrangling him up and keeping him under control,” winning trainer Ken McPeek said of Tiz a Bomb breaking through the gate. “It's worse if he comes off or something like that. This horse has got a lot of talent and we're fortunate to have a guy like Brian who handles things on the oval. He does a great job.”

“We were ready, we were set up, and as the last horse was walking in, I turned his head to set him to where we could leave the gate in good order,” related Hernandez. “He got a little anxious and just charged forward one step and the gate popped open. Most of the time when that happens, horses have a hard time recovering from it, but when we finally reloaded and he left the gate in good order the second time, we were able to get around the first turn in good order. I was really confident in him, and he took care of it from there.”

The win capped a big weekend at Keeneland for McPeek, whose Rattle N Roll (Connect) ran away to an impressive success in Saturday's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity. McPeek, however, said that Rattle N Roll may pass on the Breeders' Cup while indicating that Tiz the Bomb will be on a plane to Del Mar.

“I think for this horse definitely the Breeders' Cup Juvenile [Turf] is ideal,” he commented. “Everything happens for a reason. You could have made the case that Tiz the Bomb could have run yesterday for sure, and Rattle N Roll–of course, they're apples and oranges. It's a high-level problem we've got right now. We're just going to enjoy this, relish the moment and make those decisions as we get closer.”

Pedigree Notes:

One of seven stakes winners for Spendthrift Farm's Hit It a Bomb, Tiz the Bomb becomes his fifth graded stakes winner with the victory. He's the second foal to race out of his dam, who was fourth at 22-1 in the 2014 GI American Oaks. A $330,000 Keeneland September buy by Spendthrift, she has a yearling Free Drop Billy filly and foaled a colt by Mor Spirit this season before being bred to Gormley.

Sunday, Keeneland
CASTLE & KEY BOURBON S.-GII, $200,000, Keeneland, 10-10, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.69, gd.
1–TIZ THE BOMB, 120, c, 2, by Hit It a Bomb
   1st Dam: Tiz the Key, by Tiznow
   2nd Dam: Cabbage Key, by A.P. Indy
   3rd Dam: Mayville's Magic, by Gone West
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($330,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL).
O-Phoenix Thoroughbred, LTD; B-Spendthrift Farm, LLC (KY);
T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
$120,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $447,841. Werk Nick
Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Stolen Base, 118, c, 2, Bodemeister–Running Wild, by
Indian Charlie. ($45,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Three
Diamonds Farm & Deuce Greathouse; B-Peter E. Blum
Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Michael J. Maker. $40,000.
3–Credibility, 118, c, 2, Nyquist–Class Edge, by Indygo Shiner.
($32,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $15,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Harry
Rosenblum; B-DJ Stable, LLC (KY); T-Mark E. Casse.
$20,000.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 3/4. Odds: 2.90, 7.90, 45.00.
Also Ran: Red Danger, Dowagiac Chief, Rocket One, Play Action Pass, Lucky Boss, On Thin Ice, Brit's Wit, Martini'nmoonshine, Heaven Street, Fast N Steady, Waita Minute Hayes. Scratched: Red Run, Vivar.
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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Following Sea Dominant In Vosburgh, Earns Spot In BC Sprint

Following Sea gave sire Runhappy his first graded stakes winner with his multi-length score in the Grade 2 Vosburgh Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. With this victory, the 3-year-old colt earns a fees-paid, guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Though the field numbered only four, the Vosburgh featured Firenze Fire, last-out second in the Grade 1 Forego, where he attempted to bite eventual winner Yaupon multiple times down the stretch at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and Baby Yoda, who earned a 114 Beyer Speed Figure in his last start, also at Saratoga. The six-furlong G2 was all Following Sea, though, improving off of his third-place finish in the G1 H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga and a second via disqualification in the G1 Haskell at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. After Firenze Fire broke through the gate and was reloaded, the short field broke cleanly, with Firenze Fire grabbing a short lead in the race's opening strides. Jockey Joel Rosario sent Following Sea to the lead within the first furlong and, from there, had no trouble holding off the multiple graded stakes winner.

Maintaining a one-length lead throughout, Following Sea kicked away as the field hit the stretch, stretching his lead out to three lengths before Rosario powered him down. At the wire, the son of Runhappy was 4 3/4 lengths to the good, with Firenze Fire second and Baby Yoda third. Good Effort (IRE) was fourth in his American debut. The final time for the six furlongs was 1:09.20.

Following Sea paid $7.00 and $3.10. Firenze Fire paid $2.50. With only four horses in the field, no show betting was offered. Find this race's chart here.

The G2 Vosburgh is a Win and You're In event for the Breeders' Cup Sprint, to be contested Nov. 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. Winners of Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races earn a free guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the corresponding Breeders' Cup event.

“I thought he ran great. We just wanted to take advantage of the outside post and see how everything unfolded. He really took all the strategy out of play in the first 50 yards. He broke great, put himself right on the front and it seemed like he was in hand throughout,” trainer Todd Pletcher said after the race. “We left the paddock with the idea that we won't take anything away that comes easily. If he breaks well, that's great. If he gets in a speed duel, that's okay, too. So, I said to use judgment and it looked like he made a decision pretty easily. When he made the lead that easily, I was pretty confident. He looked like he kicked on pretty well and Joel [Rosario] wrapped up on him pretty late.”

“I just helped him out of there. It looked like he broke really well and he put himself on the lead. I thought he liked that and he ran a big race,” jockey Joel Rosario told the NYRA Press Office after the Vosburgh. “Todd just told me to ride him the way it came up. He broke sharp and I asked him a little bit to get a position. If somebody else goes, I could sit second but I decided to go to the lead because I was there. He ran really well.”

Bred by owner Spendthrift Farm, Following Sea is out of the Speightstown mare Quick Flip, a black-type stakes winner. The 3-year-old colt has three wins in six lifetime starts, for career earnings of $513,020.

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