Ashford Stud

So finally we come to a group of stallions that has at least offered some initial indication of their competence actually to produce a runner. Not that the market tends to enjoy this process! Its nervousness about sires at this stage of their career makes it easy to see why so much investment is instead concentrated in that period of grace when they haven't yet been exposed in such heartless fashion. Yes, the one or two that are prompt to seize their chance are instantly on their way: their second...

Though the first three installments of this series have featured the stallions with most to prove, we know that they will collectively be dominating commercial traffic in the new covering season. But today we come to the group that has just completed that first, critical market cycle--and finally stands on the brink of testing their stock where it really counts. Or should count, anyway. The sad reality is that they have already exhausted their usefulness to a lot of breeders, many of whom will meanwhile have ridden the carousel through...

Coolmore's Adrian Wallace joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss Ashford Stud's star-studded 2022 roster.

Coolmore has released its 2022 stud fees for stallions standing at Ashford Farm in Kentucky. Uncle Mo remains at the top of the roster at $160,000--down slightly from an advertised fee of $175,000 for the 2021 breeding season. The champion juvenile has been represented this year by the likes of GI Forego S. winner Yaupon; streaking turf miler Mo Forza; and brilliant turf sprinter Golden Pal. Triple Crown winner Justify, whose first yearlings have been well received this year at an average of $393,713 and with multiple seven-figure sellers, will...

Ashford Stud's Dermot Ryan was named the 2021 Ted Bates Farm Manager of the Year, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers' Club announced Tuesday. Ryan has long been a supporter of the club, through donations, involvement in club events, and encouraging participation from other Ashford Stud employees. With his blessing, Ashford Stud hosted the inaugural KTFMC 5K in 2016 and has expressed interest in hosting again in the future. He has supported other programs such as KEMI by taking students each session and has served on many boards and committees industry...

When 2020 came to a close, Ashford Stud's GISW Mo Town (Uncle Mo - Grazie Mille, by Bernardini) sat in prime position to see his best book yet as his first crop became yearlings and he began his third year at stud. Sons of Uncle Mo were at the forefront of breeders' minds as esteemed young stallions Nyquist and Laoban finished one-two in the freshman sire standings and were both represented by Grade I winners, while another Uncle Mo prodigy in Outwork ended up a close fourth on the same...

Amador Sanchez, a 10-year employee of Coolmore's Ashford Stud, passed away unexpectedly Aug. 8. Sanchez was one of the head stallion handlers at the Versailles nursery. "We are devastated by this loss," the farm said in a statement. "He was an incredibly talented horseman, he has been a valued member of our team since 2011, and we know that he will be missed by all of his colleagues." Sanchez leaves behind his wife, Karla, and four children: Amador (18), Kerry (15), Jamie (13)and Lucas (9). Ashford has set up a...

The energy seems to be building by the hour now that the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Sale yearlings are in place as buyers sift through the barns surrounding the famed Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion. There's much to look forward to in this 100th edition of the auction, including a sample of the highly-anticipated first crop of yearlings from Triple Crown champion Justify (Scat Daddy - Stage Magic, by Ghostzapper). With 10 sons and daughters of Justify currently slated to go through the sales ring, these youngsters represent the first book of...

When regally-bred Grade I winner Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy-Leslie's Lady, by Tricky Creek) joined the stallion roster at Ashford Stud in 2019, his half-brother Into Mischief had just received a bump in stud fee from $100,000 to $150,000 at nearby Spendthrift Farm. The next year, as Mendelssohn's first foals were hitting the ground, Into Mischief was represented by GI Kentucky Derby hero and eventual Horse of the Year Authentic. Today, as Into Mischief is now widely regarded as the leading stallion in the world, Mendelssohn awaits the day when his first...

Let's get one thing straight, right off the bat. Even setting aside the fact that our industry--with the complicity of the media--devotes disproportionate attention and resources to freshman sires, July is way too early to be deciding which few will ultimately build a sustainable career in Kentucky. True, it can only be auspicious to see Gun Runner already perched at the top of their prizemoney table. Though he put together his Horse of the Year campaign as a 4-year-old, he has already had eight winners from 18 starters. But other...

Joseph O'Brien trainee Agartha (Ire) (Caravaggio) was winless in four prior outings and went postward for Thursday evening's G3 Frank Conroy Silver Flash S. at Leopardstown as an almost unconsidered 16-1 outsider coming back off a two-length second to the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) tackling this seven-furlong strip at the Foxrock venue earlier in the month. The February-foaled bay had placed behind decent sorts in all races contested to date, including a third to the reopposing G3 Albany S. fourth Prettiest (Dubawi {Ire}) in...

Peter Savill's 2-year-old filly Dizzy Bizu (Ire) (Caravaggio) posted a May 11 debut score tackling five furlongs at Chantilly and returned over the same strip to remain perfect in Sunday's Listed Prix La Fleche, providing her freshman sire (by Scat Daddy) with a first black-type success. Breaking sharply to race in a prominent second from flagfall, the 21-5 chance came under pressure on all sides passing the quarter-mile marker and was driven out inside the final furlong to assert by an ultimately comfortable 1 3/4 lengths from Anterselva (Fr) (Fast...