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Spendthrift Secures Breeding Rights to Jackie’s Warrior

B. Wayne Hughes’s Spendthrift Farm has acquired the breeding rights to undefeated multiple Grade I-winning juvenile Jackie’s Warrior (Maclean’s Music–Unicorn Girl, by A.P. Five Hundred), recent winner of Belmont’s GI Champagne S., a ‘Win and You’re In’ event to the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keenland next month. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the J & J Stables-bred colt has earnings of $402,564 in four career starts for owners Kirk and Judy Robison.

“Jackie’s Warrior is proving to be one of the fastest 2-year-olds to come around in the last decade or more, and we are extremely excited to follow his racing career and witness the special things he can accomplish before he joins us at Spendthrift,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift general manager. “For such an imposing colt, Jackie’s Warrior is extraordinarily athletic and light on his feet. We could not be more impressed by the way he continues to run good fields off their feet and pour it on late when he lengthens that beautiful stride of his.”

Jackie’s Warrior was a dominant 5 1/2-length winner in Saturday’s Champagne, completing the mile event in 1:35.42. He earned a 100 Beyer for the win, marking the fastest Champagne since Daredevil in 2014.

Last month, Jackie’s Warrior established a new stakes record in Saratoga’s GI Hopeful S., drawing off to a 2 1/4-length victory. His final time of 1:21.29 for seven furlongs is the fastest in the last 28 years the Hopeful has been contested at the distance. The juvenile earned a 95 Beyer for that win, marking the fastest Beyer in the Hopeful since 2007, and his two most recent Beyers are the two fastest by a juvenile so far in 2020. The bay becomes the first horse to complete the Hopeful-Champagne double since Practical Joke in 2016, and first to win the Saratoga Special, Hopeful and Champagne in New York since 2-year-old champion Dehere in 1993.

“A month after lowering the 28-year-old stakes record in the Hopeful [1:21.29], he comes back and runs a mile in 1:35 [.42] in the Champagne and did not look the least bit tired at the wire. We are obviously very happy to be associated, and we wish Kirk and Judy Robison and the Asmussen team the best of luck in the Breeders’ Cup.”

Kirk Robison confirmed that neither Spendthrift nor Myracehorse.com would be involved in his racing career, but he will retire to Spendthrift at the end of his career.

“I wanted to control his racing career and I got that,” said Robison. “They agreed to that. Steve Asmussen and I are going to manage that. I get all of the purse money during his racing career.”

He continued, “Judy and I are very grateful to campaign this exceptional colt, and Spendthrift will give Jackie’s Warrior every chance to be a leading stallion when his racing career is over. Few do what he has done in four starts-four wins over three different tracks, three in graded stakes, two in historic Grade I races and recording a 100 Beyer speed figure in the Champagne. He is a lifetime horse and is just getting started. Steve Asmussen and his team have done an exceptional job in his development. We are excited to be part of his unlimited promise.”

The colt’s connections also plan to support aftercare throughout his racing career.

“Judy and I are pledging 2% of Jackie’s Warrior’s potential purse earnings from the Juvenile to New Vocations for their tremendous work in Thoroughbred aftercare,” said Robison.

In June, Jackie’s Warrior won on debut at Churchill Downs by 2 1/2 lengths, running five furlongs in :57.49. He followed up that effort with a three-length victory in the Saratoga Special, covering six furlongs in 1:09.62.

“In this day and age, to win the Saratoga Special, Hopeful and Champagne in the fashion in which he did it is truly remarkable,” said Asmussen.

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Undefeated Nadal to Stand at Shadai in Japan

‘TDN Rising Star‘ Nadal (Blame–Ascending Angel, by Pulpit), whose four wins from as many trips to the races included the faster of two divisions of the GI Arkansas Derby, will enter stud in 2021 at Shadai Stallion Station in Japan, the organization confirmed in a release Wednesday upon the 3-year-old’s arrival in the country.

Bred in Kentucky by Sierra Farm, Nadal was purchased by Randy Bradshaw, agent, for $65,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September sale and was successfully resold for $700,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale after breezing an eighth of a mile in :10 flat. Kerri Radcliffe signed the ticket on behalf of an ownership group that included George Bolton, Arthur Hoyeau, Barry Lipman and Mark Mathiesen.

Turned over to Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Nadal easily won his career debut Jan. 19 at Santa Anita, covering 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.28 and followed up three weeks later with a 3/4-length success in the GII San Vicente S. over seven panels. The hard-fought winner of the Mar. 14 GII Rebel S. when sent away from California for the first time, the strapping bay turned in his best effort to date when defeating King Guillermo (Uncle Mo) by three lengths in the Arkansas Derby May 2 (video). His final time of 1:48.34 was a full 1.15 seconds faster than that recorded by his ‘Rising Star’ stablemate Charlatan (Speightstown) in the other split of the race. It was announced May 28 that Nadal suffered a condylar fracture and was to be retired.

“He’s going to have a great career at stud,” Bolton told TDN at the time. “He took a second to wind up. Coming out of the gate, he wasn’t a little bottle rocket. Once he got going three or four strides later, he was a :21, :43 horse. That’s what the breeders want.”

Nadal is the last of two foals from his dam, a daughter of Solar Colony (Pleasant Colony), whose full-sister Pleasant Stage was named champion of her generation in 1991 following her victory in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Pleasant Stage was a full-sister to MGSW Stage Colony and GSW Colonial Play, the dam of MGISW Marsh Side (Gone West).

A stud fee will be announced at a later date.

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Not This Time Filly Tops OBS Opener

The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s October Sale opened its two-day run Tuesday with an offering of 2-year-olds and selected yearlings and the polarized demand that has come to define the market in recent years accentuated by all the uncertainties of the global pandemic. A filly by Not This Time brought the session’s highest price when selling for $225,000 to Tonja Terranova from the consignment of Lisa McGreevy’s Abbie Road Farm. The yearling was one of two to sell for $200,000 or over. Eight yearlings sold for six figures during the session.

In all, 80 of 170 catalogued yearlings sold Tuesday for a gross of $3,338,000. The average was $41,725 and the median was $29,000.

Last year’s selected yearlings portion of the October sale, which featured a catalogue of 225 head, saw 130 yearlings sell for $5,689,200. The average was $43,763 and the median was $30,000.

“It was about on par where it has been all year,” Stuart Morris, the session’s leading consignor, said of the market. “I’ve been at every venue so far east of the Mississippi River and it’s been consistent. The ones that vet and make the cut, you get paid very well for. The ones that are nice, get sold fair. But if there is anything on the vetting at all, they seem to just walk away from them. Which is what happens in a year like we’re in right now. It’s a buyer’s market. Everyone is on their heels, so they tighten up on the vetting and things of that nature.”

From the 170 catalogued yearlings, 135 went through the sales ring and, following the close of business, 55 were reported not sold for a buy-back rate of 40.7%. But trade continued for several yearlings post-sale Tuesday.

“I’ve already got three of my RNAs sold,” Morris said. “I think there are going to be a lot of RNAs sold tomorrow. I’m hoping.”

Asked if sellers were adjusting their expectations, Morris said, “They are all adjusting their expectations, but at the same time, I’m not sure how much it is a desired or wanted adjustment of expectations.”

Of the yearlings not getting sold, Morris said his clients are considering options.

“It’s a mix,” he said. “We will make plans from here to go on to the 2-year-old sales or go on to the racetrack or wherever we are headed.”

A filly by freshman sire Not This Time attracted the day’s highest bid of $225,000 when Tonja Terranova, acting on behalf of an undisclosed client, signed the ticket on hip 149.

“She is a big, beautiful filly,” Terranova said of the yearling. “She had a great walk on her, very smooth. Every time we saw her, she just looked the part.”

The dark bay filly is out of the unraced Midnight Magic (Midnight Lute), a half-sister to graded winner Coalport (Kitten’s Joy). The yearling was consigned to Tuesday’s sale by Lisa McGreevy’s Abbie Road Farm.

“We’re delighted with the way she sold and even more delighted that Tonja Terranova bought her and they’re going to the races with her,” McGreevy said.

The yearling RNA’d for $14,000 at the OBS Winter Mixed Sale earlier this year and breeder Carolin Von Rosenberg reported she had sold the filly privately over the summer.

McGreevy consigned the youngster on behalf of an undisclosed client.

“The stallion has done so well since [the Winter sale],” McGreevy said. “It’s enormous the way the Not This Time foals are running. He’s on top of his game. I think the timing was perfect. The man who owns her is delighted and is excited he gets to buy some more horses.”

Not This Time’s early exploits at stud include the Bob Baffert-trained GI Del Mar Debutante and GII Chandelier S. winner Princess Noor, who topped the OBS Spring Sale when selling for $1.35 million.

Asked if she was surprised by the yearling’s sale-topping price, Terranova said, “Not with Bob having that filly who is so magnificent. Not This Time has had a great year in his first year. And I thought this filly was the complete standout of the sale. So we knew we were going to have to pay for her. I think OBS put out a really nice catalogue of horses and there are some really nice individuals here. We really fell in love with her and we were lucky we were able to get her.”

Terranova purchased a colt by Quality Road for $425,000 at the OBS June Sale. Racing in Eric Fein’s colors and trained by John Terranova, the juvenile made his debut at Belmont Park Sunday.

Colt Pike made the day’s second-highest bid, going to $200,000 to acquire a filly by Into Mischief (hip 248). Consigned by Morris on behalf of her breeder Pine Ridge Stables, the yearling is out of stakes-placed Indian Rush (Indian Charlie) and is a half-sister to stakes winners March X Press (Shanghai Bobby) and Harlan’s Honor (Harlan’s Holiday). The filly RNA’d for $140,000 at last month’s Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

“It’s kind of what I expected for where we are,” Morris said of the result. “She’s a nice filly. She is a touch immature, but she has a big future. She is from a quality family where fillies have run well and won early at two. I was hoping for a little more, of course, but it’s a weird year. We are just trying to get things done and I’m very happy she’s going to a great home with the Pike Racing outfit, Al and Salley and Colt do a really great job. We are very happy for the breeder.”

The October sale opened with an offering of 2-year-olds with a colt by the late Empire Maker (hip 39) bringing the section’s top price of $155,000 when selling to Zedan Racing Stables. The juvenile, who worked a co-fastest quarter-mile in :21 1/5 during Sunday’s under-tack show, is out of multiple stakes winner and graded placed Tempus Fugit (Alphabet Soup). He is a half-brother to graded winner Majestic River (A.P. Indy).

Of the 59 catalogued 2-year-olds, 29 sold for $816,500. The average was $28,155 and the median was $16,000. Eight juveniles were reported not sold.

The OBS October sale continues Wednesday with an open session of yearlings. Bidding commences at 10:30 a.m.

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Sam Houston Expands 2021 Live Meet

Beginning Friday, Jan. 8, Sam Houston Race Park will offer an expanded live racing season with additional stakes added to its 2021 meet. The 46-day meet will offer $2.4 million in purses, up from $1.8 million in 2020.

The highlight of the meet, the Houston Racing Festival, will take place Sunday, Jan. 31, and will feature the GIII Houston Ladies Classic and the GIII John B. Connally Turf, as well as four other black-type races. The 2021 season will also feature 14 Texas-bred stakes. In addition, the purses for all seven stakes races on Texas Champions Day–slated for Saturday, Mar. 20–have been increased from $75,000 to $100,000.

“We have worked closely with the Texas Thoroughbred Association and are pleased with the increases for our Texas-bred stakes in 2021,” said Frank Hopf, Sam Houston’s senior director of racing operations. “Heading into 2021, we want to build on the positive strides made prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and take a lead role in improving racing in Texas.”

The 2021 meet will conclude Apr. 3, with the Quarter Horse meet starting Apr. 23. James Leatherman will serve as racing secretary. Stall applications are due by Wednesday, Nov 6, with the barn area opening Saturday, Nov. 28. Training hours will start Tuesday, Dec. 1. The first condition book is already available. For more information, visit shrp.com.

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