too much bling | Horse Racing Free Tips

Monday's Texas Summer Yearling and Horses of Racing Age Sale at Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie recorded sizable increases in gross sales, average and median with a Texas-bred colt by Too Much Bling topping the auction.

A total of 228 yearlings went through the ring with 176 selling for $3,219,600, a 138.9 percent increase from last year when 106 of 137 sold for $1,347,700. The yearling average this year came in at $18,293, a jump of 43.9 percent from last year's $12,714. The median soared to $10,000 this year, up 96.1 percent from $5,100. The buy-back rate was 22.8 percent this year compared to 22.6 percent last year.

There were also three horses of racing age in the sale this year, which sold for a total of $17,500. Last year's auction had 15 older horses sell for a total of $162,500.

“The numbers are almost overwhelming compared to last year, and this sale exceeded even our very high expectations,” said Tim Boyce, sales director. “The recent gains in purses and breeding incentives in Texas, along with the strong programs in place in Louisiana and Oklahoma, have helped make this a very powerful regional marketplace. This is truly one of the best sales we've ever had in Texas.”

“We recently announced increased purses of $300,000 for sale horses to run at in the two divisions of the Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity, and we added a total of $200,000 for a Derby and Oaks race, so that has attracted some extra interest,” added Mary Ruyle, executive director of the Texas Thoroughbred Association.

Proving the point about the resurgence of interest in Texas racing, the sale-topper was Hip 101, an accredited Texas-bred colt by Too Much Bling, who stands at Valor Farm and is a perennial leading sire in the state. Consigned by Benchmark Training Center, agent, and purchased by Finisterre Racing, the April 3 foal sold for $175,000. The colt is out of Swifterthantaylor, a multiple winning daughter of another top Texas stallion at Valor Farm, My Golden Song. Swifterthantaylor's first starter is a stakes-placed winner.

Two other horses sold for six figures, both Louisiana-bred colts. A son of Not This Time named Star Redemption sold for $120,000 from Clear Creek Stud, agent, to Al and Bill Ulwelling, and a son of Violence sold for $100,000 from 4M Ranch, agent, to Set-Hut LLC.

For complete results, go to www.ttasales.com.

The post Texas Summer Yearling Sale Posts Gains Across the Board appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs is the richest race in the country for Quarter Horses, and it could be won by a horse with Thoroughbred blood in their veins.

The trials for the $3-million race take place on Friday and Saturday, and seven entries over the course of the 30 trials have a Thoroughbred sire or dam. The American Quarter Horse Association allows half-Thoroughbred runners, known as “appendix horses,” to compete in races, with certain restrictions on their breeding careers to maintain AQHA registration.

Thoroughbred stallions as notable as Storm Cat and Alydar have sired Quarter Horse runners, and Spendthrift Farm advertised Into Mischief and Mitole for Quarter Horse breedings in 2020. The AQHA features several full-blooded Thoroughbreds in its Hall of Fame who had an impact on the breed.

Following is a list of the half-Thoroughbred appendix horses in the All American Futurity trials, with pedigree notes for each entry's Thoroughbred parent. The Thoroughbred half of each runner's pedigree will be in all-caps.

Friday, August 20

Race 2
#5 Lukka
Br. c., FAVORITE TRICK x Jess a Cartel
Breeder: Bobby Simmons (TX)

Favorite Trick, Thoroughbred racing's Horse of the Year in 1997, is one of the most successful Quarter Horse sires of the past two decades. After beginning his stud career in Kentucky, Favorite Trick was eventually moved to JEH Stallion Station in New Mexico, where his sturdy frame and elite sprinting ability made him a candidate to try crossing with the breed.

The stallion died in a barn fire less than a year after arriving in New Mexico, but because Quarter Horse racing allows for artificial insemination, JEH Stallion Station was able to collect semen to freeze and use for years to come. Had he strictly been covering Thoroughbreds, Favorite Trick would have only been able to cover mares in-person, and his final crop would have been born in 2007.

Favorite Trick has sired a pair of champion Quarter Horses, in $1.4-million earner Good Reason SA and champion distance horse Prankster CF. He's also the sire of Grade 1 winner Favorite Cartel.

Race 5
#6 Conant Valley
Br. g., One Famous Eagle x CLUSTER OF STARS
Breeder: McColee Land & Livestock (UT)

Cluster of Stars was a perfect seven-for-seven during her on-track career, including victories in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont Park and the G2 Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct. The daughter of Greeley's Galaxy was named New York-bred Horse of the Year in 2013.

She had one Thoroughbred foal in 2015, a winning Graydar filly named Kenzie, before exclusively producing appendix foals.

The best of her 12 starters to date is Valiant Stars, a 3-year-old daughter of Valiant Hero who finished second in this year's G1 Ruidoso Derby.

Race 8
#8 Double Duty
Ch. f., A Revenant x BRICKYARD LANE
Breeder: D Hubbard & Lee Lewis (TX)

Brickyard Lane, a New Mexico-bred daughter of Devon Lane, won one of five career starts, all at Sunland Park.

She has been bred to a mix of Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses in the Southwest, but her three foals that were successfully carried to term have all been Quarter Horses. Double Duty is by far her best runner to date, with a third-place effort in the G1 Rainbow Futurity.

Race 11
#9 One Famous Trick
Br. c., FAVORITE TRICK x One Famous Surfer
Breeder: Darling Farms (OK)

While his long-term legacy is in the Quarter Horses, Favorite Trick's best Thoroughbred runners include Grade 3 winners Datrick and Trick's Pick, Grade 2-placed Sum Trick, and Australian Group 3-placed French Favorite.

In addition to being the sire of two runners in the All American Futurity trials, Favorite Trick is also the paternal grandsire of 19 additional trial runners over the two days through sons Favorite Cartel and Good Reason SA.

Race 13
#8 The Stars of Corona
B. f., Corona Cartel x CLUSTER OF STARS
Breeder: McColee Land & Livestock (UT)

Because Quarter Horse racing permits embryo transfer, as opposed the stricter Thoroughbred side, Cluster of Stars is able to have multiple foals per year through surrogate mares. She has produced three or more foals each year since 2017.

The 2019 crop that produced The Stars of Corona and Conant Valley also includes the Corona Cartel colt Next Galaxy and the One Famous Eagle gelding Irwin.

[Story Continues Below]

Saturday, August 21

Race 4
#7 Ryder Lee
Gr. g., TOO MUCH BLING x Backwoods Bar B
Breeder: Rio Rojo Racing Stables (TX)

Like Favorite Trick, Too Much Bling was a successful sprinter. Unlike Favorite Trick, he is much better know at stud for his work on the Thoroughbred side of the aisle.

The son of Rubiano entered stud at Lane's End Texas in 2007, and has remained in the state since then. His Thoroughbred exploits include siring regional stars Direct Dial and Texas Bling.

Too Much Bling has just five registered Quarter Horse foals, and Ryder Lee is his lone winner, having taken a Ruidoso Downs maiden race on July 23.

Race 7
#9 Riii de Axe
Gr. f., Howdoyalikemesofar x STORMINTHEMORNING
Breeder: Rafter 3 Holdings (SK)

Storminthemorning is an unraced North Dakota-bred daughter of Category Five. Riii de Axe is her first foal of either breed, and she is unplaced in two starts. The mare produced a colt by the same stallion in 2020.

The post Thoroughbred Pedigrees Abound In All American Futurity Trials appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post