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
By Sid Fernando Three Chimneys is now under the influence of Doug Cauthen—long an architect of WinStar’s rise to prominence—so is it surprising that one of the two new sires at the Midway nursery is a son of WinStar stalwart Tiznow, a leading sire in North America? The horse in question is Strong Mandate, his … Continue reading Tiznow’s Mandate is Strong
By Frances J. Karon The sire of 103 black-type winners (7% to foals), Unbridled’s Song was Unbridled’s most successful son at stud, but he hadn’t left a clear successor when he passed away in July of 2013. There have, however, been glimmers of promise: Dullahan and Take the Points, by Even the Score; Majestic Harbor … Continue reading Cross Traffic has credentials