By Sid Fernando Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs South has reopened the stallion operation at its 3,800-acre facility in Williston, Florida, for the 2015 breeding season. The breeding shed had been closed down from the 2010 season onwards for Adena to concentrate on its Kentucky and Canada operations, and now, Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Fort Larned … Continue reading City Wolf is top dog by pedigree
By Frances J. Karon According to an account by Murphy Givens, a chronicler of King Ranch’s Richard King, King Ranch was founded in 1853 by the 29-year-old King, who bought 15,000 acres of land for two cents an acre—an expenditure of $300. King, being a great visionary, may have had some idea that the name … Continue reading Verrazano bridges King Ranch to Coolmore
By Sid Fernando Munnings, a first-crop sire by Speightstown at Ashford Stud for Coolmore, had two stakes winners a week ago, bringing his total to three so far as he makes a late-season impression with his first two-year-olds. He already has an impressive 25 winners—best in North America among freshman sires—and coupled with the 14 … Continue reading The Speightstown effect
By Frances J. Karon After standing two seasons at Adena Springs North in Ontario, Canada—his first foals are weanlings—Canadian champion turf horse Musketier has moved to Brad Kelley’s Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, to continue his stud career. Musketier is remarkable in that he was a group or graded stakes winner in three countries, at two, … Continue reading Musketier, a sound stayer
By Sid Fernando Darley, like many large Kentucky-based stud farms, has satellites in regional breeding programs. In New York it’s Sequel Stallions, where Darley has now retired the multiple G1-winning Bernardini colt Alpha to stand his first season for $8,500 in 2015, alongside the Darley-owned Desert Party and Emcee, both at $7,500. Alpha in New … Continue reading Dual G1 winner Alpha perfect for NY
By Frances J. Karon At the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale, leading Canadian breeder William D. Graham’s yearling colt by Lion Heart out of stakes-placed Andrea Ruckus (by Arch) was a knockout at the Four Star Sales consignment. With every inspection—and there were many—the big, scopey dark bay or brown colt showed himself with poise, … Continue reading Uncaptured, strong juvenile to classic winner
By Sid Fernando If you blinked, you missed it. Coolmore Stud’s popular Ashford-based Galileo stallion Cape Blanco, who covered more mares (220) in his first year at stud in 2012 than any other stallion in North America, was sent to Japan for the 2015 season, but without missing a beat and with little fanfare Coolmore … Continue reading Magician is a body double for Cape Blanco
By Frances J. Karon Goldencents arrived at Spendthrift Farm just off of Paris Pike in Kentucky shortly after his repeat win in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile-G1 on October 31, 2014. He would have found it much colder in Kentucky than California, where he was based during his three years on the racetrack, but there … Continue reading Warm welcome for Goldencents