Tag: verrazano

Record-Setting International Sire More Than Ready Dies

More Than Ready (Southern Halo–Woodman's Girl, by Woodman), whose 216 worldwide stakes winners is the fourth highest total of all time, was euthanized the morning of Aug. 26 at WinStar Farm due to the cumulative effects of old age. He was 25 years old.

“More Than Ready was an amazing horse who touched everyone he came in contact with,” said Elliott Walden, president, CEO, and racing manager of WinStar Farm. “He may not have been the biggest horse in the barn, but he more than made up for it in class, balance, and character. His expressions said it all. We will greatly miss him at the farm.”

Larry McGinnis, longtime stallion manager at WinStar Farm, said of the legend's passing, “To me, he was more than a great stallion, he was a great friend. It was an honor to take care of such a remarkable horse. I will miss him.”

Bred in Kentucky by Woodlynn Farm Inc., More Than Ready was purchased by Edward Rosen, agent for owner Jim Scatuorchio, for $187,000 at the 1998 Keeneland September sale and won his first five starts for trainer Todd Pletcher, including the GIII Tremont S. and GII Sanford S. before tasting defeat for the first time when stretched to a mile in the GI Champagne S. Dead-heat winner of the GII Hutcheson S. in his sophomore debut, More Than Ready was second in the GII Louisiana Derby and was beaten a head when runner-up in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. ahead of a meritorious fourth to Fusaichi Pegasus in the GI Kentucky Derby. Focusing on one-turn races for the balance of the season, More Than Ready earned Grade I laurels in Saratoga's King's Bishop S. and was second to stablemate Trippi (End Sweep) in the GI Vosburgh S. He retired to Vinery Kentucky for the 2001 breeding season with seven wins from 17 starts and earnings of $1,026,229, and was one of several Vinery stallions that moved to WinStar upon the closure of that nursery.

 

 

 

A Dual-Hemisphere Sensation…

A stallion blessed with tremendous fertility, More Than Ready is the sire of an eye-popping and record-setting 2118 winners to date (72.4% winners to starters), making him the world's most prolific sire of individual winners. With a victory in the GII Wonder Again S. in June 2022, Klaravich Stables' Consumer Spending provided the stallion with his 100th worldwide winner at the group/graded level and the victory occurred on the same Belmont program where Morethanreadyeddie–named in honor of the aforementioned Rosen–won his maiden at first asking over five furlongs. Of his black-type winners (only Galileo {Ire}, Danehill and Sadler's Wells have more), some 26 have struck at the top level in seven racing jurisdictions, including Hong Kong and South Africa. The sire of 17 winners and three stakes winners from his first American crop in 2004, More Than Ready was an instant hit in Australia, where he shuttled to Vinery Stud to serve mares Southern Hemisphere time. To date, he has sired 971 winners in the U.S. and Canada and 905 in Australia and New Zealand. His progeny earnings are in excess of $219 million.

With Australasia's emphasis on speed and precocity, his foals hit the ground running, with six black-type winners among his 17 first-crop winners overall, including G1 Champagne S. heroine Carry On Cutie (Aus). His early Australian crops also featured Benicio (Aus), winner of the 2006 G1 Victoria Derby; Sebring (Aus) and Phelan Ready (Aus), victorious in the prestigious G1 Golden Slipper S. in 2008 and 2009, respectively; G1 Blue Diamond S. hero Samaready (Aus); and G1 Western Australian Derby victress Dreamaway (Aus). More Than Ready has also proven especially potent with Danehill-line mares, resulting in the likes of Group 1 winners More Joyous (Aus), Prized Icon (Aus) and More Than Sacred (Aus) in addition to Benicio (Aus), Sebring (Aus), Perfectly Ready (Aus) and Dreamaway (Aus). More Than Ready's other Southern Hemisphere Group 1 winners include Gimmethegreenlight (Aus) and Entisaar (Aus) in South Africa; and More Than Sacred in New Zealand. His progeny were brilliant enough in the early parts of their careers to score in races like the G1 Golden Slipper and G1 Blue Diamond S., but were equally effective at trips of 2000 meters and beyond in Australian fixtures such as the Queen Elizabeth S., and he accounted for Derby winners in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia. In total, More Than Ready has sired Group 1/Grade I winners in seven countries.

Trainer Todd Pletcher and More Than Ready | Horsephotos

The top-level winners were a bit slower to come at home, but Buster's Ready became More Than Ready's first American Grade I winner in the 2011 Mother Goose S. Verrazano, raced in partnership by Kevin Scatuorchio's Let's Go Stable, became his sire's first male GISW in the 2013 Wood Memorial S. and Daredevil–also raced by Let's Go in partnership–his first Grade I-winning juvenile in the 2014 Champagne S. More Than Ready's son Catholic Boy holds the rare distinction of winning Grade Is on two surfaces–the GI Belmont Derby on turf and the GI Travers S. on the dirt. Catholic Boy is one of four sons of More Than Ready at stud in Kentucky (Copper Bullet, Daredevil, Funtastic), while Verrazano has gone on to become a productive stallion in South America.

More Than Ready is the leading sire of Breeders' Cup winners to date with seven and accounted for multiple Breeders' Cup winners on two separate occasions. He was represented by the winners of the Breeders' Cup juvenile turf events in 2010 (Pluck, More Than Real), while champion Roy H won the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint in 2017 and 2018. 'TDN Rising Star' and future Eclipse Award winner Rushing Fall posted the first of her six career Grade Is in the 2017 GI Juvenile Fillies' Turf. Uni (GB)–another maternal granddaughter of Danehill–beat the boys in the 2019 GI Breeders' Cup Mile. More Than Ready has been represented by 13 champions around the world. Among More Than Ready's 16 offspring that earned the 'Rising Star' distinction is the versatile Emmanuel, third in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. and front-running winner of his turf debut in the GII Pennine Ridge S. at Belmont this past June. More Than Ready is the only sire to have an Eclipse Award Champion each year from 2017 to 2020.

A Broodmare Sire of Note…

More Than Ready is the broodmare sire of fully 135 stakes winners, 61 group or graded winners and 15 at the top level, including GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Structor (Palace Malice), top Australian sprinter Bivouac (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), the rags-to-riches Group 1-winning juvenile filly Miracles of Life (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) and Hong Kong champion Wellington (Aus). Other U.S. graded winners from More Than Ready mares include Kauai Katie (Malibu Moon), Breeders' Cup winner Four Wheel Drive (American Pharoah) and 'TDN Rising Star' and leading turf distaffer Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom), whose dam Mary's Follies is also responsible for Japan's top dirt galloper Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah) and Night Prowler (Giant's Causeway), a dual graded winner in the U.S. whose success extended to Barbados and that island nation's richest event, the Barbados Gold Cup.

Rosen Remembers 'Life-Changing' Horse…

Eddie Rosen has been involved with any number of successful horses over the course of his bloodstock career, but it's safe to say none left the impression the same way More Than Ready did.

“Most people are aware of all the amazing statistics he compiled as the greatest dual-hemisphere sire in history, his versatility in the ability to sire dirt, turf, long and sprint winners,” he reflected. “Sometimes forgotten is what a great 2-year-old he was, reeling off the first five starts of his career in spectacular fashion. My family and I will always cherish the wonderful memories sharing his career with the Scatuorchio family. For me, he was life-changing. During Derby week this year, I was able to visit with him and give him one last peppermint. I will miss him dearly!”

 

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Miss Mosaic Goes Out On Top In American Beauty

Keystone Racing LLC's Miss Mosaic rode off into the sunset with a victory in Saturday's $150,000 American Beauty Stakes at Oaklawn by closing out her career with a neck victory before 22,000 fans.

The 6-year-old daughter of Verrazano is now slated for retirement after getting her first stakes victory in the six-furlong race over Joy's Rocket. Ain't No Elmers finished third. Li'l Tootsie, the 2-1 favorite, finished sixth.

“The trainer told me to just try not to get into trouble,” said jockey David Cabrera of the instructions sent by Kentucky-based trainer Ben Colebrook. “Once I got her sitting comfortable, she was just relaxed, so I knew they were going to have a tough time catching us.”

Miss Mosaic brings a glittering pedigree to the breeding shed, joining two siblings with stakes wins on their resumes, including Miss Temple City a multiple Grade 1-winner. The victory snapped a three-race string of second-place finishes including a runner-up performance in the Mrs. Claus Stakes at Parx Racing last month.

“It's an amazing story,” said winning owner/breeder Aaron Jutte, who noted the mare will now be bred to top sire Tapit. “We had a lot of trouble with her, Miss Mosaic, in her early career and gave her a bunch of time off. As a single owner, you don't have to worry about partners at that point, so you can give her all the time off in the world you want. Just like 2-year-old stuff and so we just gave her, basically, her 2-year-old and halfway through her 3-year-old career off. She didn't make a start until she was at the end of her 3-year-old career.”

The filly Sarah Harper set the pace but gave way at the top of the stretch to Miss Mosaic. The field chased her home as she finished in 1:10 3/5 over a fast track. She returned $16.80, $8.20 and $5.40 at odds of 7-1.

Racing resumes Sunday with a 12:30 p.m. first post.

The post Miss Mosaic Goes Out On Top In American Beauty appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Hard-Trying Juxtapose Steps Up For Bessarabian

Juxtapose, a 4-year-old daughter of Verrazano-Aldara, goes after her first added-money win in Saturday's Grade 2 $175,000 Bessarabian Stakes, at Woodbine.

The seven-furlong main track feature for fillies and mares, three-years-old and upward, has drawn nine starters, including Juxtapose.

Trained by Steve Owens, the Kentucky-bred heads into her second straight stakes date after notching a third in the Grade 3 Ontario Matron on Oct. 10 at Woodbine.

That effort came after a seven-furlong grass win, the sixth victory of her career, on Aug. 22 at Woodbine.

Sent off at 8-1, Juxtapose rallied from fourth at the stretch call to claim a head score over firm going on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

The dark bay brings a record of 6-0-3 from 13 starts into the Bessarabian for owners James Redekop and Stefan Ferrario.

“Juxtapose, she's a nice little filly who tries hard every race,” praised Owens. “She's a little difficult to train, but she gives 110 percent every time we take her out there in the afternoon.”

Bred by Alvin D. Haynes Estate, Juxtapose debuted on October 5, 2019, finishing sixth in a 5 ½-furlong sprint over the Toronto oval's main track.

Two weeks later, she broke her maiden, the start of a three-race win streak.

“She's always been a very consistent horse,” said Owens. “She's very aggressive in the morning, but she's all business when the gate opens.”

Last year, she went 2-0-2 from six starts. In 2021, she's 2-0-1 from four appearances.

Owens, closing in on 300 career wins, has a good idea of what to expect from Juxtapose in the Bessarabian.

“She's a little better, I feel, on the turf, but she'll run on broken glass. She does whatever you need her to do out there.”

If recent patterns are any indication of what's in store for Juxtapose on Saturday, Owens will no doubt be encouraged.

In her last seven starts, she's finished third, first, fifth, first, fifth, first and third, respectively.

“If that's the pattern, we really do [have something to look forward to]. She's at a good distance. She's cutting back from a mile-and-a-sixteenth and she had a really lovely work on the weekend, :48, out in a minute and one-fifth. She had a really nice work two weeks ago that set her up for that one, :59 and change, and galloped out in 1:12.1. So, she's coming into the race in the right condition.”

Trainer Roger Attfield and Kinghaven Farms teamed to win the first two editions of the Bessarabian – in 1985 with Summer Mood and one year later with Playlist.

Conditioner Josie Carroll has won three runnings of the Bessarabian, including in 2017 and 2018, both with Moonlit Promise. She also won with Smart Surprise in 2008 and sends out Gidgetta this year.

The race is named after Canada's champion older female of 1986, a multiple stakes winning daughter of Vice Regent trained by Michael Doyle and owned by Eaton Hall Farm. She finished her racing career with an 18-5-4 mark from 37 starts.

Also on Saturday, 10 fillies and mares, three-years-old and upward, will travel 1 ¼-miles on the Tapeta in the Grade 3 $150,000 Maple Leaf Stakes.

Starters include the Mark Casse-trained foursome of Art of Almost, Broadway Lady, Crystal Glacier and Skygaze.

Graham Motion will send out Sister Otoole, a four-year-old Florida-bred daughter of Amira's Prince (IRE), who sports a 2-3-3 record from 10 starts.

The race, inaugurated in 1892, was won by Heavenly Curlin last year.

Conn Smythe, principal owner of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs from 1927 to 1961 and builder of Maple Leaf Gardens, leads all owners with seven Maple Leaf crowns.

The Bessarabian is carded as race eight on Saturday's 11-race program. The Maple Leaf goes as race seven. First post is 12:55 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager on all the action through HPIbet.com and the Dark Horse Bets app.

FIELD FOR THE BESSARABIAN

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Gidgetta – Patrick Husbands – Josie Carroll

2 – La Libertee – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

3 – Spun Glass – Luis Contreras – Michael Trombetta

4 – Lady Speightspeare (S) – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Roger Attfield

5 – Aug Lutes – Antonio Gallardo – Michael Trombetta

6 – Juxtapose – Gary Boulanger – Steve Owens

7 – Our Secret Agent – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse

8 – Emmeline – Justin Stein – John Mattine

9 – Tuned (GB) – Daisuke Fukumoto – Graham Motion

FIELD FOR THE MAPLE LEAF

1 – Merveilleux – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

2 – Art of Almost – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse

3 – Skygaze – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

4 – Sister Otoole – Kazushi Kimura – Graham Motion

5 – La Lune (GB) – David Moran – Edward Vaughan

6 – Peace Seeker – Antonio Gallardo – Nick Nosowenko

7 – Broadway Lady – Shaun Bridgmohan – Mark Casse

8 – Ann of Cleves – Keveh Nicholls – John LeBlanc Jr.

9 – Crystal Glacier – Gary Boulanger – Mark Casse

10 – Lake Lucerne – Rafael Hernandez – Brendan Walsh

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Veteran, Trainer Jeff Hiles Seeks First Stakes Win With Shesa Mystery In Dogwood

Jeff Hiles launched his training career just four years ago but the 41-year-old United States Marine Corp. veteran is poised to record his first stakes victory with 3-year-old filly Shesa Mystery in Saturday's $275,000 Dogwood (Grade 3) at Churchill Downs.

Owned by John Gaynor's Let It Ride Stables, Shesa Mystery enters Saturday's seven-furlong Dogwood with a lifetime record of 5-2-1-0 with $84,332 in purse earnings. The chestnut filly by Verrazano broke her maiden four starts ago at Indiana Grand by 4 ¾ lengths and returned three weeks later to score a 2 ¾-length first-level allowance victory.

“We're really excited about her in this spot,” Hiles said. “She's coming into this race in great shape. (Carribean Caper) is a really nice filly for (trainer) Al (Stall Jr.) but if she can handle the shortened distance I think she'll run a big effort.”

Shesa Mystery finished second two starts ago in the $225,000 Iowa Oaks (GIII) and enters Saturday's affair with an enigmatic seventh-place finish in the $100,000 Pucker Up (G3) over the turf.

Hiles is quietly having a solid year hitting at a 25 percent win-clip with 13 wins from 53 starters. His purse earnings of $313,761 are higher than his first three years of his training career combined.

Fans may recognize Hiles as the son of veteran Kentucky-based conditioner Rick Hiles. Prior to starting his career in 2018, Hiles served as the Churchill Downs-based assistant to Kenny McPeek.

Shesa Mystery is based at Highpointe Farm and Training Center which is located in La Grange, Ky., about 45 minutes northeast of Churchill Downs.

The Dogwood drew a compact field of seven 3-year-old fillies and was carded as Race 8 with a post time of 4:22 p.m. (all times Eastern). Saturday's 11-race card features a stakes trio including the inaugural runnings of the $275,000 Bourbon Trail® and $275,000 Harrods Creek, both for 3-year-olds. First post is 12:45 p.m.

The complete Dogwood field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

  1. Coppelia (Martin Garcia, Phil Bauer, 15-1)
  2. Carribean Caper (Colby Hernandez, Stall, even-money)
  3. Li'l Tootsie (James Graham, Tom Amoss, 3-1)
  4. Malloy (Joe Talamo, Wayne Catalano, 10-1)
  5. Shesa Mystery (Miguel Mena, Hiles, 10-1)
  6. Patty H (Julien Leparoux, Mike Miceli, 7-2)
  7. Someone Said So (Adam Beschizza, Coty Rosin, 15-1)

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