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Former Churchill Downs President Lynn Stone Passes Away

Former Churchill Downs CEO and president Albert Lynn Stone, better known as Lynn Stone, passed away Feb. 22 in Lexington, Ky. He was 95.

During Stone's tenure at the helm of Churchill, from 1970-84, the Louisville track witnessed a remarkable three Triple Crown winners in Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed. As Churchill's ninth president, he was responsible for instituting the 20-horse limit in the Kentucky Derby and also oversaw $10-million in physical improvements that included new Skye Terraces, a press box, jockey quarters, 12 new barns, fire-resistant tack rooms, sprinkling systems in all barns, a recreation building, restroom facilities, and fireproof stairways in the grandstand and clubhouse.

Stone had originally joined the Louisville track in 1961 as resident manager and jointly spent several years as president of both Churchill and Florida's Hialeah Park. He also served two terms as president of the Thoroughbred Racing Association of North America and was on various boards, including the American Horse Council, Jockey Club Round Table, and Kentucky Thoroughbred Breeders' Association.

Born in New Orleans in 1925, Stone was a member of the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II. A career in professional baseball followed. He signed with the New York Yankees and played with other minor league teams, then moved into management. He was part of the 1958 move of the Milwaukee Braves Triple-A team to Louisville and served as general manager of the Louisville Colonels until Churchill beckoned.

After retiring, Stone continued as a consultant to Churchill and other racing and sports organizations. Survivors include his wife, Jane Stokes Stone; three sons: Michael Stone (Katharine Friel) of Versailles, Patrick (Nora) Stone of Lawrenceburg, and Steve (Leslie) Stone of Nicholasville; two step-children: Charles (Christine) Halloran of Washington, D.C. and Ann Tarter Halloran of Lexington; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

A public visitation will be held from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home-Harrodsburg Road in Lexington. Private funeral services will be held at Kerr Brothers, with private burial to follow at Camp Nelson National Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to either the American Legion Man O' War Post #8 (1230 Man O' War Place, Lexington, KY 40504) or the Alzheimer's Association (Greater Kentucky and Southern Indiana Chapter–Kaden Tower, 6100 Dutchmans Lane, Ste 401, Louisville, KY 40205-3284).

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Wholebodemeister Springs Major Upset in Davona Dale; Vequist Off The Board

Reigning Eclipse Award-winning juvenile filly Vequist (Nyquist) was bet like she could not lose her 3-year-old debut in Saturday's GII Davona Dale S. at Gulfstream Park, but she never so much as truly reached contention, as Wholebodemeister (Bodemeister) got loose and brave on the lead and scampered clear to cause a 52-1 boilover. Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map) was a bit hesitant to load, but closed off decently for second ahead of 53-1 Competitive Speed (Competitive Edge) in third.

Drawn the fence with Edgard Zayas calling the shots, Wholebodemeister put herself right into the race and set what appeared to be a solid pace from Adios Trippi (Adios Charlie) as Vequist settled one out and one back in the second flight. Wholebodemeister galloped them along comfortably, but Vequist began to find her best stride three wide at the three-eighths and worked her way up to within a couple of lengths of the front-runner. The champ was soon under the bat and clearly in deep waters, but the same could not be said for Wholebodemeister, who widened under a hold with a furlong and a half to travel and wandered about inside the final eighth of a mile, but was never in serious danger. Vequist was not persevered with when clearly beaten and finished ninth of the 10 runners.

A maiden winner from three juvenile appearances, Wholebodemeister was the 4 3/4-length winner of a modestly rated two-lifetime allowance at Gulfstream West Oct. 24 ahead of a never-nearer seventh in Tampa's Sandpiper S. Dec. 5. The homebred was stretching out to the mile for the first time, having made moderate late inroads to be third, beaten under two lengths, in the seven-furlong GIII Forward Gal S. at this venue Jan. 30.

“Last time, it was a troubled trip,” Zayas said. “She's still learning a lot. I remember last time she was between horses and she didn't like it. The last eighth she found some space and she went through it and only got by a little more than a length. I knew she would be solid if I could keep her in the clear. My plan was just to break out of there, put her on the lead and see what she got.”

Pedigree Notes:

Wholebodemeister is the 20th stakes winner and seventh black-type winner for her sire, who now stands stud in Turkey, and she is the 11th stakes winner (sixth graded winner) out of a daughter of the late Scat Daddy. The bay is out of a Grade III-placed daughter of the SP Carr Shaker (Carr de Naskra), the dam of New York-bred GSW Dewars Rocks (Big Mukora) and two other state-bred stakes performers. Wholelottashakin was barren to Connect for 2019, but produced a Union Rags filly in 2020 and foaled a colt by Arrogate Feb. 3 of this year.

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
DAVONA DALE S.-GII, $200,000, Gulfstream, 2-27, 3yo, f, 1m, 1:36.89, ft.
1–WHOLEBODEMEISTER, 120, f, 3, by Bodemeister
                1st Dam: Wholelottashakin (GSP, $337,465), by Scat Daddy
                2nd Dam: Carr Shaker, by Carr de Naskra
               3rd Dam: Talc Shaker, by Talc
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Sabana
Farm, LLC (KY); T-Juan Carlos Avila; J-Edgard J. Zayas.
$117,800. Lifetime Record: 7-3-0-1, $175,922.
2–Crazy Beautiful, 120, f, 3, Liam's Map–Indian Burn, by Indian
Charlie. 'TDN Rising Star' ($250,000 Ylg '19 FTKOCT).
O-Phoenix Thoroughbred III; B-Carolyn R Vogel (KY); T-Kenneth
McPeek. $38,000.
3–Competitive Speed, 120, f, 3, Competitive Edge–Shopped
Out, by Mineshaft. ($50,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP; $5,000 2yo
'20 OBSOPN). O-John C. Minchello; B-White Fox Farm (KY);
T-Javier E. Gonzalez. $19,000.
Margins: 6HF, 1HF, 2 3/4. Odds: 52.80, 9.20, 53.90.
Also Ran: Pens Street, Curlin's Catch, Happy Constitution, Millefeuille, Three Tipsy Chix, Vequist, Adios Trippi. Scratched: Hindsight, Lady Traveler. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Got Stormy Gets the Bob in Honey Fox

Got Stormy scored her first win for her new connections Saturday in Gulfstream's GIII Honey Fox S. Heavily favored in this seasonal bow, the chestnut broke on top, but was overtaken by Jakarta (Bustin Stones) and settled in second through an opening quarter in :24.29 and a half in :48.76. Challenging the pacesetter on the far turn, the $2.75 million FTKNOV buy surged to the front in the final strides and held off a late bid from Zofelle (Ire) to win by a nose.

“She had a great spot,” said trainer Mark Casse. “Just kind of what we thought, we thought the horse that was on the lead would be there and she was sitting nice. She kicked and you could see a little bit of the rustiness today. She kicked, but she didn't kick as hard as she does sometimes. I think she'll build from this and get better.”

He continued, “I was really confident with her, as long as the turf stayed hard. She should build from this; it's just which direction do we go. She can do a little bit of anything. I don't know. We may sprint her. Never over a mile though.”

“She's a tremendous filly,” said jockey Tyler Gaffalione. “I've been able to get to know her the past few years and I have a lot of confidence every time I'm on her. She shows up every time. Really all the credit goes to Mark and his team to get her ready off the layoff. She fired a big one today.”

Winner of the GI Fourstardave H. and GI Matriarch S. in 2019, Got Stormy was second in both the GI Woodbine Mile and GI Breeders' Cup Mile that season. Off the board in last term's GIII Endeavour S., she was a close second in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile last winter and was fourth in both the GIII Beaugay S. and GIII Poker S. Got Stormy finished second when attempting to defend her Fourstardave title last summer, but captured the GIII Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint S. next out Sept. 12. Rallying to victory in the GIII Buffalo Trace Franklin County S. next out at Keeneland Oct. 9, the speedy chestnut was fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint S. at the venue Nov. 7 and went through the ring at Fasig-Tipton the next day, bringing $2.75 million from Spendthrift Farm. They returned her to Mark Casse's barn and My Racehorse, who teamed up with Spendthrift on Horse of the Year Authentic (Into Mischief), joined in as a partner.

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
HONEY FOX S.-GIII, $125,000, Gulfstream, 2-27, 4yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:35.52, fm.
1–GOT STORMY, 123, m, 6, by Get Stormy
1st Dam: Super Phoebe, by Malabar Gold
2nd Dam: Air France, by French Deputy
3rd Dam: Twin Propeller, by Known Fact

($23,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP; $45,000 2yo '17 EASMAY; $2,750,000
5yo '20 FTKNOV). O-My Racehorse CA, LLC & Spendthrift Farm
LLC; B-Mt. Joy Stables, Pope, Pope Jr. & Marc McLean (KY);
T-Mark E. Casse; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $75,175. Lifetime Record:
MGISW, 27-11-5-3, $2,096,553. *1/2 to Sky Gold (Successful
Appeal), SP, $151,020. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Zofelle (Ire), 123, m, 5, Zoffany (Ire)–Height of Elegance (Ire),
by Galileo (Ire). (27,000gns 3yo '19 TATJUL). O-Heider Family
Stables LLC; B-Fullbury & Minch Bloodstock (IRE); T-Brendan P.
Walsh. $24,250.
3–Feel Glorious (GB), 120, m, 5, Bated Breath (GB)–Self
Centred (GB), by Medicean (GB). (52,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT;
130,000gns 2yo '18 TATAHI). O-Reeves Thoroughbred Racing
& Tango Uniform Racing LLC; B-Mrs E. C. Roberts (GB);
T-Christophe Clement. $12,125.
Margins: NO, NK, NK. Odds: 1.10, 1.50, 11.20.
Also Ran: Jakarta, Art of Almost, Ricetta (GB), Secret Time (Ger), Bienville Street. Scratched: Nomizar. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

Pedigree Notes:
Got Stormy is the only Grade I winner for her sire Get Stormy and is one of six graded winners and nine black-type scorers for the stallion. Her dam Super Phoebe is a half-sister to MGSW & MGISP Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz) and GSW Overdriven (Tale of the Cat). The 17-year-old mare is also responsible for the sophomore colt Got Curly (Super Saver); a juvenile colt by Mohaymen, who brought $315,000 at the Fasig-Tipton October Sale; and a yearling colt by Bolt d'Oro. She was bred back to Uncle Mo.

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Journeyman’s “Clockwork Fury” to Sell for Charity at OBS

A unique piece of art entitled “Clockwork Fury” will sell as the last hip of the day Tuesday, Mar. 16, during the OBS March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. The “steampunk” horse statue, made by Florida artist Mark Hershberger and owned by Ocala's Journeyman Stud, will be auctioned as a partnership with Horse Fever 20/20 and OBS to help raise funds for Florida Thoroughbred Charities (FTC) and Marion Cultural Alliance (MCA). Due to the fundraising challenges non-profit organizations have faced during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Journeyman co-owner Crystal Fernung was moved to offer the statue that has graced her farm for the past decade.

Clockwork Fury was on display in the lobby of OBS during the recent January Mixed sale and will again be on display in the OBS lobby before the March sale, beginning Mar. 11 at noon. Bidding must be in person in the pavilion or via agent/proxy. No pre-qualification is necessary. The Horse Fever committee and Creech Horse Transportation will assist with delivery to the new owner within the U.S.

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