Jerry Crawford, Chuck Fipke have big weekends

By Sid Fernando

Jerry Crawford and partners’ Paddy O’Prado, third in the Kentucky Derby, and Chuck Fipke’s Lady Shakespeare had memorable weekends, and we couldn’t be happier for the two gentlemen because they epitomize what’s best about this business: the passion for racing (and breeding) horses.

Iowan Crawford purchased Paddy as a yearling for $105,000, and after winning the G2, $500,000 Colonial Cup, his earnings now stand at more than $750,000, with the promise of more stakes wins to come. Click here to read about the owner and his horse from the Des Moines Register.

Canadian Fipke’s Lady Shakespeare, a homebred for the owner-breeder, won the Grade 2 New York Stakes at Belmont, and she now has earnings of nearly a half-million. Click here to read Frank Mitchell’s pedigree piece from the Paulick Report.

We are particularly pleased for Messrs. Crawford and Fipke because they are retained clients of WTC. And in the case of Paddy, he was a WTC “Best of Sale” recommendation for Jerry and his team, which includes trainer Dale Romans, while Lady Shakespeare’s dam, Lady Shirl, was purchased by Chuck with WTC founder Jack Werk signing the ticket at auction.

Both horses will have careers after the track. Paddy is by the emerging sire of sires El Prado, whose sons to date include Medaglia d’Oro and Kitten’s Joy. Lady Shakespeare, by Theatrical from a G1 winner and a sibling to a multiple G1 winner, is made as a broodmare and will join the strong Fipke band at the conclusion of her career.

Both the colt and the filly are leaders in their respective divisions—turf 3yo and turf filly or mare—and join WTC recommended mating (for breeder Gulf Coast Farms LLC) Lookin at Lucky as another division leader as top 3yo colt to date. We wish them racing luck for the remainder of the year.