Mating Plans, Presented By Spendthrift: William S. Sparks

As we approach the opening of the 2024 breeding season, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why.

Today we caught up with Williams S. Sparks of Monroe, Louisiana. Originally from Arkansas where he grew up attending Oaklawn races with his grandfather, Sparks has assembled a band which reflects his philosophy of breeding to race.

“I'm really deeply committed to breeding a sound racehorse who is going to do what they do best–run,” said Sparks. “Regional breeding and racing are the backbone of this business and I love it. I wish I didn't so much, but I do.”

The Monroe dealership owner boards with Sara Patterson of Cedar Run Farm in Arkansas and with Wayne and Cathy Sweezey in Kentucky, and utilizes Ron Moquett as his conditioner.

BESS (8, Mineshaft–Brenda Leigh, by Forest Wildcat) will be bred to Petrov
This is a hard-knocking mare who made almost $300,000 over 38 starts. I bought Bess as a yearling and raced her until she was claimed away. Ron Moquett and I bought her back. She is in foal to Beau Liam and is in the Arkansas breeding program. Like a lot of other folks, I am impressed with the look of these Petrov foals.

Gunite | Sara Gordon

DANCE FOR DADDY (8, Scat Daddy–Dance to the Sea, by Gone West) will be bred to Gunite
I have bred speed into this mare and her last couple of offspring speak to that, including 3-year-old colt Ceepeegee (Army Mule). This colt broke his maiden in September, and my partner Keith Johnston and I are excited about his prospects. I had actually entered him at last April's OBS and once my wife and I saw him there she asked, “why exactly are you selling this horse?”

Dance For Daddy is currently in foal to Volatile. The next move is to send her to Gunite with hopes for a precocious foal. This mare has shown she can get an early runner. Gunite is a grand-looking horse who proved himself a fighter at the races. I hope he passes that on.

FINE FAMILY (5, Upstart–Great Family, by Harlan's Holiday) will be bred back to Girvin
I was fortunate enough to partner with Bret Jones of Airdrie Stud in racing Fine Family. She is in foal to Girvin for this year and I think the plan is to go back to him. Bret obviously knows what he is doing, so I am just following his lead. Girvin is certainly proving to be a successful sire.

MARTZ (12, Scat Daddy–Opulent, by Meadowlake) will be bred to either Complexity, Nashville or Yaupon
Ron Moquett picked out Martz as a 2-year-old at OBS. We raced her and kept her to breed. She is a big, strong mare who throws lovely foals. I have an affinity for Scat Daddy mares. Martz's best foal so far is MSP Sarah Harper (Vancouver {Aus}) who's mating recommendation was the product of John Prather. Martz has big, nice yearling colt by Astern (Aus), and we are going to breed her to speed. I am certainly liking what I am seeing from both Complexity and Yaupon.

MAXINE'S TAP ROOM (8, Bourbon Courage–Sunday In Malibu, by Malibu Moon) will be bred to The Big Beast
This is a stakes-placed mare who was quick, but who unfortunately had an abbreviated racing career. She's in the Arkansas breeding program and alternates between Arkansas and Kentucky stallions. The Big Beast is going to be a super addition to Arkansas and I'm a fan of the good-looking son of Yes It's True.

Fine Family | Coady Photography

SARAH HARPER (6, Vancouver (Aus)–Martz, by Scat Daddy) will be bred to Nyquist or Street Sense
Our plan with Sarah Harper is to have her compete at Oaklawn this spring and then she will head to the breeding shed. She's just been spectacular and nicks well with a lot of stallions. Wayne [Sweezey] and I are talking it over, but Nyquist or Street Sense are our options in that order.

TIPAZAR (9, Tapizar–Tipsy At Midnight, by Midnight Lute) will be bred to The Big Beast
I raced this mare in partnership with my friend Jim Brown. We are breeding Tipazar in the Arkansas program, and the plan is to continue to alternate every other year with that state entity and then with a Kentucky stallion.

TRIP MOM (16, El Corredor–Fifty Mil Short, by Johannesburg) will be bred to either Highly Motivated or Runhappy
Trip Mom, who I have bred and raced in the Arkansas program, was recommended to me by the late pedigree consultant, Les Brinsfield. Upon entering the business, I had the good fortune to meet Les, and also John Prather through friends George Waggoner and Monty Hinton. They provided me with valuable guidance and endless hours of pedigree discussion.

Interested in sharing your own mating plans? Email garyking@thetdn.com.

The post Mating Plans, Presented By Spendthrift: William S. Sparks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Girvin Leads 2022 Roster At Ocala Stud

Ocala Stud has set 2022 stud fees for its roster of 12 stallions for the upcoming breeding season, led by Girvin whose fee remains unchanged at $6,000 S&N. Also remaining unchanged from their 2021 fees are Seeking the Soul and Win Win Win who will both stand for $5,000 S&N.

Girvin, a leading 3-year-old of his crop, won the 2017 Haskell Invitational S. (G1) and registered back-to-back Graded stakes wins in annexing the Risen Star S. (G2) and the Louisiana Derby (G2). An earner of $1,624,392 on the racetrack and a winner from six to nine furlongs, Girvin is represented by well-received first yearlings this year, which included a $200,000 colt who was the co-highest-priced yearling for a freshman sire at the Fasig-Tipton July Sale.

Seeking the Soul, a Charles Fipke homebred, had an illustrious racing career, winning the 2017 Clark H. (G1), the 2018 Ack Ack S. (G3), and the 2019 Stephen Foster S. (G2). All told, he won or placed in eight Graded stakes, including runner-up finishes in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. (G1), earning more than $3.4 million. His first foals arrive in 2022.

Win Win Win captured the Forego S. (G1) at Saratoga in 2020, defeating four Grade 1 winners. He set a new track record at three, winning the seven-furlong Pasco S. at Tampa Bay Downs in an eye-catching 1:20.89, running a 2 on the Ragozin Sheets. He hails from a deep Live Oak family and is a descendant of the influential Halo sire line. Standing as a partnership between Live Oak Stud, Airdrie Stud, and Ocala Stud, Win Win Win will see his first foals arrive in 2022.

Stud fees for Adios Charlie, Awesome Slew, Jess's Dream, Noble Bird, and The Big Beast remain unchanged at $4,000 S&N for 2022. Greenpointcrusader will stand for $3,500 S&N once again; Ami's Flatter and Dak Attack will both stand for $2,500 S&N; and Battalion Runner rounds out the roster, standing for $1,500 S&N. For more information, contact David or Joe O'Farrell at (352) 237-2171 or visit OcalaStud.com.

Ocala Stud's 2022 roster and fees are as follows:

Stallion Stands and nurses fee
Adios Charlie $4,000
Ami's Flatter $2,500
Awesome Slew $4,000
Battalion Runner $1,500
Dak Attack $2,500
Girvin $6,000
Greenpointcrusader $3,500
Jess's Dream $4,000
Noble Bird $4,000
Seeking the Soul $5,000
The Big Beast $4,000
Win Win Win $5,000

The post Girvin Leads 2022 Roster At Ocala Stud appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Livingmybestlife Leads All The Way In Opening Day Seashell At Del Mar

Hronis Racing's Livingmybestlife took the lead right out the gate and simply wouldn't be caught Wednesday afternoon at Del Mar in the featured $103,750 Seashell Stakes as the seaside track opened its eight Bing Crosby Season with an eight-race card.

The winner, a 3-year-old daughter of The Big Beast trained by John Sadler, ran the mile on the main track in 1:36.53 under Juan Hernandez and picked up a winner's check for $62,250, pushing her bankroll to $209,970 after she reported home a length and a half the best. It was the fourth victory in seven career starts for the Florida-bred who was claimed for $50,000 by her current connections out of her first start at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas last April.

Finishing second was the 1/2 race favorite Moonlight d'Oro, owned by MyRacehorse or Spendthrift Farm, while Michael Rosemayer's Clockstrikestwelve ran third.

The opening card was the first of 13 that will be held over the course of the Del Mar session that goes forward to Sunday, November 28. Adding special spice to this edition of the “Crosby” is the 38th running of the Breeders' Cup Championships, which will be conducted here this Friday and Saturday with $31 million of purses and awards on the line.

Racing continues Thursday with another eight-race card with first post at 12:30 p.m.

JUAN HERNANDEZ (Livingmybestlife, winner) – “Yes, that was the plan – go to the front and see how far we could go. She likes to run that way. We had a Plan B in case someone did something crazy, but our first plan worked out fine. We weren't going that fast and she was comfortable. When we turned for home, she changed leads on her own and from there I was on a winner.”

JUAN LEYVA, assistant to John Sadler (Livingmybestlife, winner) “She got to break out front and do what she likes to do, which is cruise on the lead. She was comfortable the whole time and ran a great race. She's been nothing but good since we claimed her. At the three-eighths when I saw the favorite (Moonlight d'Oro) wasn't really pressing her and she was pulling away, I felt really good.”

FRACTIONS: :23.16 :46.38 1:10.78 1:23.63 1:36.53

The stakes win was the first of the meet and the first in the initial running of the Seashell. Jockey Hernandez now has 12 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win was the first of the meet and the first in the initial running of the Seashell. Trainer Sadler now has 81 stakes wins at Del Mar, second most of all time.

The winning owners are Kosta and Pete Hronis of Delano, CA.

The post Livingmybestlife Leads All The Way In Opening Day Seashell At Del Mar appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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‘Just Tickled To Be Able To Race’: Lieblongs Enjoying Early-Season Success At Oaklawn

Prominent Conway, Ark., owner Alex Lieblong said he spent a lot of time late last year at his vacation home in the Florida Keys.

Understandable.

Lieblong, among other things in 2020, broke his foot, contracted coronavirus and as chairman of the Arkansas Racing Commission was in the middle of a bitter legal fight to award a casino permit in Pope County.

“I just said, 'I'm going to hide down there,' ” Lieblong said.

Lieblong is back and so are the horses he and wife JoAnn own and now campaign at their home track, Oaklawn, with Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

The Lieblongs recorded their first career Oaklawn triple Jan. 24, when Asmussen saddled favorites Earner ($3.80), Willful Woman ($4.20) and unbeaten Abrogate ($3.60) to win races 2, 3 and 8, respectively.

“I felt good and they were training well,” said Alex Lieblong, 70, who watched the races from home. “It was a good day to do it.”

The Lieblongs were Oaklawn's third-leading owners last year with 11 victories and the triple pushed their career total in Hot Springs to 117. They entered the game in the early 1990s and won their first race at Oaklawn in 1999, although JoAnn Lieblong, in partnership, recorded several victories earlier in the decade with noted Little Rock, Ark., owner Patricia Blass.

Now established owners and breeders, the Lieblongs normally keep roughly 20 horses in training – the bulk are now at Oaklawn with Asmussen – and have approximately 14 broodmares at Ocala Stud in Florida, where they stand their Grade 1 winner, The Big Beast.

The trio of Jan. 24 winners were all purchased at auction – Earner for $425,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Willful Woman for $400,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale and Abrogate for $270,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Abrogate, who cleared her first allowance condition in the sprint for 3-year-old fillies, is from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Outwork. She is 2 for 2 in her career (both sprints).

“I watched the gallop-out two or three times and it didn't seem like she was just collapsing after the line, I'll put it that way,” Lieblong said, referring to a potential future route attempt. “She's got a good mind and she's not a run off. She was so gorgeous at the sale. To pay that for an Outwork – that was at the outer limits for an Outwork filly, although I think Outwork is going to prove himself to be a pretty nice sire.”

Willful Woman, another 3-year-old filly, is from the first crop of champion Nyquist. She is a half-sister to the Asmussen-trained Ever So Clever, winner of the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies in 2017 at Oaklawn.

Willful Woman was making her third career start after running third twice last fall in Kentucky. She broke her maiden at a mile.

“We knew (Abrogate) was a good filly,” Lieblong said. “The other one needed to show a little something and she did. She's had a growth spurt. I can tell that. She's gotten big, that Willful Woman. I was worried that the mile might be a tick too short for her, but she looked pretty impressive herself.”

The Lieblongs have two other horses at Oaklawn with trainer Steve Hobby of Hot Springs and another with trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs. The Lieblongs also have had a long business relationship with trainer David Fawkes, who is based in south Florida. Skip Intro, a 3-year-old half-brother to 2020 male sprint champion Whitmore, is with Moquett. The trainer also conditions Whitmore, a seven-time Oaklawn stakes winner.

The Jan. 24 triple vaulted the Lieblongs into the top spot in the Oaklawn owner's standings after the first three days of the scheduled 57-day meeting. They have at least one victory at every Oaklawn meet since 2001, including a career-best 12 in 2019. The Lieblongs were Oaklawn's third-leading owners in 2019.

“I always remember David Fawkes telling me one time that everything can be going so good and then all of sudden somebody just kind of rolls a hand grenade down the center of your barn,” Lieblong said on the eve of 2021 Oaklawn meeting. “I thought, 'That's about like it is.' About the time you think you have things lined up, here comes the hand grenade. We're just tickled to be able to race. You've got to hand it to Oaklawn to get it done. They've jumped through a lot of hoops to get it done.”

Oaklawn raced, uninterrupted, through the COVID-19 crisis last year, though without spectators for the final 29 dates of the 57-day meeting. Oaklawn's 2021 meeting began Jan. 22 with limited spectators, owing to Arkansas Department of Health guidelines.

In addition to The Big Beast, the Lieblongs have campaigned Grade 1 winners Wicked Whisper, Embellish the Lace and Telling, Grade 2 winners I Spent It and High Dollar Woman and multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Spring Included. They still race Bye Bye J, another multiple local stakes winner who is scheduled to make her 2021 debut Feb. 4 at Oaklawn. Bye Bye J is among the top Arkansas-bred female money winners in history. The Lieblongs also raced millionaire Duke of Mischief, winner of the $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in 2010, in partnership with Fawkes and the horse's breeder, Marilyn McMaster.

Alex Lieblong heads Lieblong & Associates, Inc., a financial advisory firm in Little Rock, Ark.

The post ‘Just Tickled To Be Able To Race’: Lieblongs Enjoying Early-Season Success At Oaklawn appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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