Stallions | Horse Racing Free Tips

Toast To Vino Rosso: Colt Out Of Melody Girl Is ‘Just An Athlete’

Throughout the breeding season, the Paulick Report will be sharing photos of foals from the first crop of Spendthrift Farm's Breeders' Cup Classic winner Vino Rosso in the “Toast to Vino Rosso” series.

This week's featured foal is a Feb. 10 colt out of the winning Unbridled's Song mare Melody Girl, whose first foal is a 2-year-old of 2021.

Bred in Florida by Westbury Stables, the colt hails from the family of Grade 2 winner Shepherd's Field.

The colt is currently being boarded at Glencrest Farm in Midway, Ky. Glencrest's John Greathouse plans the matings for Alfonso Figliolia's Westbury Stables, and he said this colt was a star on his dam's produce record.

“He's a big, strong colt,” Greathouse said. “The mare's thrown a couple nice foals so far, but to me, this was her best one. He's got a lot of personality, a lot of quality to him. Good bone, good size, just an athlete. I've been thrilled with him since he shipped up from Florida. He's one of the best foals I've got on the farm.”

In planning the mating that produced the colt, Greathouse said the stamina Vino Rosso showed on the racetrack, which further affirmed Curlin's classic-making reputation, was a large factor in sending Melody Girl to the Spendthrift Farm resident.

“I wanted to breed her up a little bit, and maybe something a little more two turns,” Greathouse said. “A son of Curlin went well with her, since she was an Unbridled's Song mare. She's a beautiful physical herself. I thought it would be a good nick and we'd produce a racehorse out of this deal.”

Vino Rosso, a 6-year-old son of Curlin, stands at Spendthrift Farm for an advertised fee of $25,000.

Vino Rosso won won six of 15 starts and earned $4,803,125 on the racetrack. In addition to his signature Breeders' Cup Classic score, the stallion picked up victories in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes, and the G2 Wood Memorial Stakes.

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Lexington Mayor Gorton Proclaims “Tapit Day”

Mayor Linda Gorton proclaimed April 15, 2021 as “Tapit Day” in Lexington, Ky.

Her official proclamation recognized Tapit as one of the most influential and breed-shaping stallions of the past half century, as well as one of the most valuable horses in America.

The mayor also recognized Gainesway Farm as the well-renowned and historic home of Tapit, founded by John Gaines, and currently owned and operated by Antony Beck, who has made “significant contributions to Thoroughbred breeding and racing, as well as to the city of Lexington.”

“This is a special day for us at Gainesway,” said general manager Brian Graves. “Tapit has obviously been a tremendous asset and part of the Gainesway family. The mayor said she has never known of another horse receiving such a proclamation. It is a great honor and Tapit is very deserving of this recognition.”

Tapit has earned champion sire honors three times during his illustrious stud career. He is the leading active sire in North America by lifetime stakes winners, graded stakes winners, Grade 1 winners, and progeny earnings, which currently are approaching $170 million. In addition to his 27 Grade 1 winners, Tapit has sired seven champions and six Breeders' Cup winners.

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Toast To Vino Rosso: Colt Out Of Ponya Brings An International Flair

This week, we've got a colt from the debut crop of Vino Rosso out of the E Dubai mare Ponya. He was born on Feb. 22, bred in Kentucky by Dr. Charles Kidder.

Ponya is the dam of four winners from five runners, led by stakes-placed Majestic Edge. He comes from the family of a pair of French Group 1 winners, including French St. Leger winner Agent Double. The direct female line traces back through French-breds for most of the previous century, starting in 1920, and some of those branches have had success in Japan, as well.

Vino Rosso's sire, Curlin, has had some successful crosses with heavy international pedigrees, and it's going to be interesting to see if this young stallion is able to replicate that success. Colts like this will let us know pretty quickly.

Vino Rosso, a 6-year-old son of Curlin, stands at Spendthrift Farm for an advertised fee of $25,000.

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Kentucky Derby Winner Orb Sold To Stand In Uruguay

Orb, the winner of the 2013 Kentucky Derby, has been purchased by a group of Uruguayan breeders and he will relocate to that country for the upcoming Southern Hemisphere breeding season.

The 11-year-old son of Malibu Moon will stand at Haras Cuatro Piedras, a farm owned by Uruguayan Breeders Association president Pablo Salomone. He entered stud at Claiborne Farm in 2014.

From five crops of racing age, Orb has sired 155 winners for combined progeny earnings of more than $10.9 million. His runners of note include Grade 1 winner Sippican Harbor and O Besos, who is currently pointing towards this year's Kentucky Derby after finishing third in the G2 Louisiana Derby.

“Orb was a wonderful horse with a great pedigree and look about him,” said trainer Shug McGaughey, who conditioned the horse for owners Stuart Janney and Phipps Stable. “He gave me many thrills, the ultimate one being his win in the Kentucky Derby. I am sure he will do very well as a stallion in his new home.”

Orb won five of 12 starts during his racing career, for earnings of $2,612,516. He became a top threat on the 2013 Triple Crown trail after winning the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes and the G1 Florida Derby, before winning the Kentucky Derby by 2 1/2 lengths as the post time favorite. He also finished third in the Belmont Stakes and the G1 Travers Stakes.

The deal was brokered by Marette Farrell and Sebastian Angelillo along with David Seguias.

“They are thrilled to secure a Kentucky Derby winner for Uruguay from Ruffian's family,” Farrell said. “This is a key international Phipps pedigree loaded with strong South American connections like Uruguayan champion 2- and 3-year-old filly Algecira Fever, and multiple G1 winner Siempre En Mi Mente, along with Suggestive Boy who was a three-time G1 winner in Argentina and then won the G1 Frank Kilroy Mile in the U.S. We wish him all the best and firmly believe he will establish himself as the top stallion down there.”

Like many U.S. stallions who have sold to South American breeding programs in recent years, Orb was purchased by a sizable group of Uruguayan breeders. The coalition that secured Orb includes Haras Bettina, Cuatro Piedras, Don Alfredo, Don Camilo, Don Bebe, Don Juca, El Arbolito, Entrevero, La Concordia, La Coluda, La Pomme, Los Apamates, Los Seis, Mocambú, Musa, Nijú (Brasil), San Miguel Queguay, Santa Delfina de la Candelaria, Santa María de Juncal, Sin Nombre, Stud Tinto y Celeste, Tsimbalar, Vaccaro (Brasil) and Viejo Molino.

“With Orb, for the first time, there is a very well-balanced union in which no partner exceeds 10 percent (ownership),” Angelillo said. “We believe that this is a first step on a path that definitely leads in the right direction.”

Orb will join a stallion roster at Haras Cuatro Piedras that also includes Hall of Famer and 2006 Horse of the Year Invasor. The farm has previously housed shuttle stallions including Smarty Jones, Real Quiet, and Trinniberg.

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