Albaugh Family Stables

Much has been made lately in Kentucky on farms reducing stud fees in response to the blighted economy, but there's a group of stallions whose fees would have mostly dropped as a matter of course even in booming times. These are second- through fifth-year stallions; frequently, fees for horses entering their fifth season at stud as their first-crop runners turn three show particularly pronounced drops from their initial fees. A small commercial breeder contacted me the other day to discuss the reduced 2021 stud fee for a stallion whose first...

Longshot Sittin On Go blew past his rivals in the stretch to become the first stakes winner for his freshman sire (by Giant's Causeway), who was campaigned by these same connections. The chestnut was wheeling back on relatively short rest after an off-the-pace 4 1/4-length tally going five furlongs at Ellis Aug. 16--he earned just a 49 Beyer Speed Figure. Unhurried early and guided a bit off the potentially dead rail, Sittin On Go traveled nicely on the bridle while far back as odds-on Therideofalifetime (Candy Ride {Arg}) zipped away...

The year 2020 will have an asterisk next to it in racing history, but there will nevertheless be a leading first-crop sire at year's end, and Taylor Made's Not This Time (Giant's Causeway) might be the stallion atop it. As we head into September, Not This Time leads all N. American-based first-crop sires by number of winners, with nine, and he's a close third behind Ashford's Air Force Blue (War Front) and WinStar's Speightster (Speightstown) on the progeny earnings list. The major 2-year-old graded events the next few months leading...

2nd-Ellis, $46,020, Msw, 8-16, 2yo, 5f, :59.26, ft. SITTIN ON GO (c, 2, Brody's Cause--Set'n On Ready {SP}, by More Than Ready) stormed to the lead with an eye-catching move in deep stretch to graduate on debut and become the third winner for his freshman sire (by Giant's Causeway). The chestnut, half of the 8-5 entry, settled well off the pace as Lock Up (Maclean's Music) looked to take them wire-to-wire. Sittin on Go made rapid progress on the turn along the rail, tipped out for running room at midstretch...

Girl Daddy, sent out by the same connections that have used the Pea Patch in recent years as a springboard to launch the careers of graded stakes-winning juveniles Not This Time (Giant's Causeway) and Dennis' Moment (Tiznow), turned heads on debut Friday to earn the 'TDN Rising Star' distinction. The $500,000 KEESEP buy displayed a fairly unassuming Churchill worktab for a typically patient conditioner, but took some tote attention to be off at 9-5--longer than only fast-working fellow firster Malibu Bird (Malibu Moon). Flat-footed at the start, the grey rushed...

2nd-Gulfstream, $43,000, Msw, 3-8, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:11.67, ft. FOUR GRANDS (f, 3, Honor Code--Taylor S {SW & GSP, $121,519}, by Medaglia d'Oro), backed down to 8-5 favoritism into the face of a pricey Todd Pletcher firster, ran to her backing Sunday for a facile debut victory at Gulfstream against a field of all fellow first timers. Off a half-step slowly from the outside six slot, the bay was pushed along by Luis Saez to chase in third outside of aforementioned Pletcher representative Maggie Fitz (Ghostzapper). She made an early...

4th-GP, $50K, Msw, 4yo/up, 6 1/2f, 2:31 p.m. ET Albaugh Family Stables, which will start likely GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. favorite Dennis' Moment (Tiznow) this Saturday at Gulfstream, also has action Thursday in Hallandale Beach, as they debut the expensive and well-related COASTAL DEFENSE (Curlin) in the day's fourth event. Owned in partnership with Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust, the chestnut hammered for $800,000 at Keeneland September in 2017 and is a half-brother to MG1SW Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy), as well as the Albaughs' GISW Free Drop Billy (Union...

It's been nearly four months since Dennis' Moment (Tiznow) was last seen finishing last in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the result of a bad stumble at the start. That's not the way anyone wants to go into their 3-year-old season, but nothing that he has seen from Dennis' Moment has lessened the enthusiasm trainer Dale Romans has for his horse. "At this stage going into the Derby, I think he's probably the best prospect I've ever had," Romans said. "I've had a lot of good ones and I've had...

Grade I winner and Spendthrift stallion Free Drop Billy (Union Rags--Trensa, by Giant's Causeway) sired his first foal when stakes-placed Sweet Diva (Purim) produced a filly Jan. 19 at Heaven Trees Farm in Lexington, KY. "This is a good-sized filly with a lot of bone. She's going to be nice," said Adolfo Martinez, manager at Heaven Trees. The foal was bred by Bill O'Neill through Spendthrift's "Share the Upside" program.

When Dennis' Moment (Tiznow) romped to a 19 1/4-length maiden victory at Ellis Park Saturday, the performance drew obvious comparisons to another Albaugh Family Stables runner who graduated impressively at the Henderson oval three years ago. Not This Time (Giant's Causeway) carried the operation's blue and white silks to a 10-length maiden score in August of 2016. He went on to add an 8 3/4-length win in the GIII Iroquois S. and came up just a neck short of champion Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile) when second in the GI...

Dennis' Moment (Tiznow) went wire-to-wire in impressive fashion at Ellis Park Saturday afternoon to become a TDN Rising Star for trainer Dale Romans and the Albaugh Family Stables. The well-regarded Dennis' Moment was given ample support at 5-2 in his career debut going five furlongs at Churchill Downs June 23, but he clipped heels, unseating rider Robby Albarado and failing to finish the race. Coming into this off a pair of inspiring morning works, including a five-furlong bullet move in :59 flat at Churchill July 15, the $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga...