The 2014 GI Travers S. hero, V. E. Day (English Channel–California Sunset, by Deputy Minister) came to Old Friends following the death of his owner-breeder Magalen O. Bryant in 2021. Bryant's representative, Johnathan Miller, and her daughter, K. C. Graham, visited Old Friends earlier this year when it was decided that the stallion would retire from stud duty.

“V. E. Day was a courageous Travers winner and we inquired about his post-breeding career last year,” said Michael Blowen, president and founder of Old Friends. “We're very excited that his owner trusts us with her magnificent chestnut.”

Foaled in Kentucky on April 21, 2011, V. E. Day was trained by James Jerkens for Bryant his entire American racing career. After a stint racing in France as a 6-year-old, he retired with $1,044,061 in earnings over 17 career starts.

During his stud career, the stallion stood at Waldorf Farm in New York, Lovacres Ranch near Warner Springs, California and Buck Pond Farm in Versailles, Kentucky.

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Numbers, as it turns out, will also be critical to his next career, as the Red Oak Stables homebred will stand at Rockridge Stud for a partnership that includes Red Oak and Madaket Stable, who raced him in partnership, as well as almost every New York farm invested in the Thoroughbred breeding business, including Irish Hill Farm, Rockridge, Dutchess Views Stallions, Waldorf Farm, and Hidden Lake Farm. Shareholders also include Joe McMahon of McMahon Farm, Saratoga Glen, and New Hill Farm.

Out of a fellow Rockridge homebred Feel That Fire (Lightnin N Thunder), a stakes-winning half-sister to MSW & GSP King For A Day (Uncle Mo) and a full to MSW Ima Jersey Girl, “He is probably one of the better horses, if not the best horse, that has ever come to New York,” said Michael Lischin of Dutchess Views Farms. The winning of the GI Cigar Mile is a great prep for being a stallion.”

Speaking to the TDN after the Cigar Mile, Todd Pletcher, who began training Mind Control in 2020, said, “If you like horse racing, you've got to love this horse. He's cool. He's done it consistently year after year at multiple distances. He's a great horse to be able to train. He's remarkably consistent and shows up every morning.”

“When we got the partnership together, it grew very quickly because, just like anything else, word of mouth goes very quickly,” said Lere Visage, owner of Rockridge Stud. “These are the bigger farms, all bound together to support a horse that they all think is going to be legit and that can improve the state and improve the mare base that we have. There's never been a partnership like that done in New York with any of the farms.”

The partners said they were confident in the quality of Mind Control's first book. Just before breeding season, to boost the stallion's chances, partners and prospective supporters purchased additional mares in Kentucky. And the partners' phones ring constantly, they said.

“Several trainers have booked mares to Mind Control,” said Visage. “They saw him as a racehorse. With that much heart and stamina, this horse is worth taking a look at. Nothing like Mind Control has ever stood in New York.”

In impressive New York style, Mind Control took his first Grade I in the 2018 Hopeful S. at Saratoga and his second in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S., also at Saratoga. In his first start for Pletcher, Mind Control won the GII John A. Nerud S. He won the Parx Dirt Mile two starts later, was third in the 2022 GI Carter H. Two months after that, he beat Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) in Monmouth's GIII Salvator Mile. In his last start before the Cigar Mile, he finished a neck behind the leader in the Sept. 24 Parx Dirt Mile, but was promoted to first via DQ.

“He won from six furlongs to a mile,” said Lischin. “To win a Grade I race at seven furlongs at two and three, and then continue on with stakes wins every year and closing out with a Grade I stakes race at six and over $2 million is a great race record. He beat Knicks Go, Firenze Fire, Instagrand, Zandon, and Hot Rod Charlie, amongst numerous others.”

Bringing the New York farms together as a stallion just like he brought racing fans together in his career, Mind Control has created excitement in the New York Thoroughbred breeding scene.

“He comes with a lot of credentials and that's kind of a solid beginning to a horse,” said Visage. “It is also very exciting to see, and kind of refreshing to know, that the farms can all work together and, you know, support a horse that they feel is worth supporting.”

Mind Control is will stand at $8,500 LFSN.

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Combatant won the 2020 GI Santa Anita H. and was second in that year's GII San Pasqual S. in the colors of Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler. He was also second in the 2018 GIII Southwest S. and third in that year's GII Rebel S.

After standing his first season at Rockridge Stud in New York, the stallion shuttled to Chile last year. He suffered a bout of colic and died last August.

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“She is what I was expecting a Tacitus foal would look like,” said Rick Burke of Irish Hill Century Farm. “She has plenty of leg and good bone. She looks a lot like him.”

A Juddmonte Farms homebred trained by Bill Mott, Tacitus won the 2019 GII Tampa Bay Derby and the GII Wood Memorial. He was third in the Kentucky Derby that year, and finished second in both the GI Belmont S. and the GI Travers S. Tacitus, who stands the 2023 season for $10,000 S&N, bred 188 mares in his initial book.

The post Taylor Made Stallions’ Tacitus Represented by First Foals appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Miller's mare Lode Lady (Posse) is the first foal out of the Smart Strike mare Gold Strike, the dam of newly-acclaimed Derby hero Rich Strike (Keen Ice). Foaled in 2008, Lode Lady made three trips to the winner's circle at Woodbine and earned over $150,000 during her racing career before ending up with Miller eight years later.

With only two starters but no winners on her produce record so far, Lode Lady foaled an Honest Mischief filly this year at Waldorf Farm in New York. While the mare was slated to visit a regional stallion this spring, she is now bound for Kentucky to be bred to Vino Rosso, Spendthrift Farm's champion son of Curlin.

“She had her Honest Mischief foal and the next thing you know, [Waldorf Farm manager Kenny Toye] calls me and says, 'Hey, this mare's half-brother named Rich Strike is running in the Derby,'” Miller said. “I told him that at 80-1 it wasn't going to do anything, but Kenny had looked at the pedigree. He said the horse could go the distance and that he thought Rich Strike could win. Sure enough, he did. This is a dream that you would never believe could happen.”

Hailing from Hammonton, New Jersey, Miller has been involved in the equestrian world for many years, but only recently got involved in the racing industry.

“I started getting into Thoroughbreds right before COVID started,” Miller explained. “I decided I was too old for hack riding. A friend of mine called me and said she had a few Thoroughbred yearlings available. I ended up taking them from her and racing them. I really enjoyed it even though I never made a dime with them.”

It wasn't long before Miller was looking to add a few broodmares to his stable. He got in touch with breeder Jon Marshall. The Texas-based horseman was selling two mares along with their foals for a combined $40,000.

Miller decided to take only the mares, Stormy Tak (Stormy Atlantic) and Lode Lady, and let Marshall sell the foals. Stormy Tak's foal, a son of Gun Runner, went on to bring $270,000 as a yearling. Lode Lady's yearling brought only $25,000.

Lode Lady and her Honest Mischief filly with Waldorf Farm's Jerry Bilinski and Kenny Toye | photo courtesy Waldorf Farm

Miller could never have predicted that today, Lode Lady might have the more valuable pedigree of the pair, but he is grateful to Marshall for helping him get his start as a breeder.

“The day Rich Strike won the Kentucky Derby, Jon and his wife called to congratulate me,” Marshall said. “I told him that he should be sick because he gave me the mare, but he said he was happy for me. I am relatively new at this, so he has been kind of a mentor for me.”

While Miller has big plans for Lode Lady, he has no immediate intentions of putting her through a sales ring.

“It's hard to sell something when someone gives you a gift,” he explained. “I really have no money invested into this horse. Jon basically gave her to me and the only thing I have invested is the stud fees, so why would I get rid of her?”

As for the mare's Honest Mischief filly, who was foaled in February, Miller is still not sure where she could end up.

“I almost always sell the foals, but I just don't know with her,” he admitted. “I've thought about keeping her and running her myself, but we may test the waters and put her in a sale. This foal is special in my eye. She's beautiful with good size and bone.”

Dr. Jerry Bilinski, who oversees Miller's broodmare band at Waldorf Farm, can remember one similar experience with a sudden, favorable pedigree update when his stallion Cormorant was represented by 1994 GI Kentucky Derby winner Go for Gin.

“I was busy on the farm when I got a call that night that Go for Gin had won the Derby,” he recalled. “I didn't even watch the race because I was working away.”

“It's always interesting because you have the horse that wins the Derby, but then you have all these peripheral horses that suddenly become more valuable,” Bilinski said. “In this case, this mare was supposed to be bred in New York but then 48 hours later, she's on her way to Kentucky. It just shows you that lightning in one bottle can strike and when it does, it oftentimes strikes in other bottles around the horse community.”

While Miller does not typically bet, his wife did place a win bet on Rich Strike.

“Right after the race she said she wanted to go buy a handbag,” Miller recounted with a laugh.

“I'm lucky that I got these mares and got connected with the right people,” he said. “There are a lot of good people in this industry that you don't ever hear about. For Jon to give me these mares and then for this to happen, I still can't believe it.”

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The post First Mares Check In-foal for Fulls to Laoban, Gun Runner appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The latest issue of the Back Ring is now online, ahead of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale.

The Back Ring is the Paulick Report's bloodstock newsletter, released ahead of, and during, every major North American Thoroughbred auction. Seeking to expand beyond the usual pdf presentation, the Back Ring offers a dynamic experience for bloodstock content, heavy on visual elements and statistics to appeal to readers on all platforms, especially mobile devices.

Here is what's inside this issue…

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ISSUE OF THE BACK RING

• Lead Feature, Presented By Gainesway: Myra Lewyn dives into the history of the picturesque Xalapa Farm near Paris, Ky., that was used as a shooting location for “Seabiscuit,” and was recently acquired by Hill 'n' Dale Farms.
• Stallion Spotlight, Presented By New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc.: A discussion on the veteran New York sire Bustin Stones, who was deemed “the most underrated stallion in the country” by Richard Migliore.
• Ask Your Veterinarian, Presented By Kentucky Performance Products: Dr. Peter Sheerin of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital explains the difference between putting broodmares under overhead lights or a mask light, and how the light process effects a mare's cycle.
• Pennsylvania Leaderboard, Presented By Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association: For a third straight year, Blackstone Farm was Pennsylvania's leader by state breeder awards. Stakes winner Dance Code was one of the many on-track successes that got them there.
• Indiana Yearling Spotlight, Presented By Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance: An analysis of Hip 400, an Indiana-bred yearling by Spendthrift Farm's Goldencents, who will be offered at this year's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale.
• Best Of The Breeders, Presented By Muirfield Insurance: Thanks to a pair of top-level victories by the hot 3-year-old Newgrange, the partnership of Jack Mandato and Black Rock Stable ended January with a razor-thin lead among breeders of graded stakes winners.
• First-Crop Sire Watch: Stallions whose first crops of yearlings are represented in the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale, including the number of horses cataloged and the farm where the stallion is currently advertised.

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ISSUE OF THE BACK RING

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“Lovely filly. Solid bone,” said Kenny Toye, manager of Waldorf Farm. “Excited for her owners and happy to have some more Smart Strike blood in New York.”

Tom's d'Etat won the 2019 GI Clark S. and 2020 GII Stephen Foster S. On the board in 15 of 20 starts, he won 11 times and earned $1,762,272.

Tom's d'Etat is standing his second season at stud for $12,500 S&N

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The post Waldorf Farm & Climax Stallions Hosting Open House Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“We are honored to have been able to purchase a full brother to such an incredible stallion whose life was cut much too short” said Sean Feld, President of Climax Stallions. “We will honor Laoban's legacy by offering a complementary breeding to anyone who bred, bought or is racing any progeny of Laoban.”

Purchased for $475,000 at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Sale, the Lael Stable runner made just three starts, finishing second when last seen in April.

“He's by Uncle Mo, who is becoming a legendary sire of sires and we are flattered to add Son of Thunder to our stallion barn here at Waldorf Farm” said Waldorf Farm owner Dr. Jerry Bilinski.

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