Ashview Farm

The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale concluded its nine-day run in Lexington Wednesday with vibrant trade from a diverse buying bench leading to across-the-board increases where were highlighted by a new sales record median. "Overall, this was a very strong, fair market from start to finish," Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. "Book 1 gross jumped nearly 15% from last year with a much-improved clearance rate and that momentum powered the sale through the final days." For the nine days, 2,158 horses sold for $196,442,900. The average of...

I have enormous respect for TDN writer Chris McGrath and Wayne Lyster. One's an outstanding journalist and eloquent writer who works for an essential trade publication; and, the other's built a highly-successful breeding operation. I, nevertheless, must respectfully disagree with their characterization of calls for replacing dirt tracks with synthetic surfaces as "hysterical." While I cherish racing's dirt traditions (my goodness, Man o' War is my favorite horse of all-time), I'm also mindful of existing data that explicitly show that synthetic racing is the safest surface in the U.S. Numbers...

You know, it's almost like they're family. Okay, maybe that's not terribly helpful. As we've learned from others kindly sharing their experiences for this series, the only right way is the one that works for you. That's always a pretty good starting point, anyway, with horses. And given this additional variable, where the directors stage board meetings around a kitchen table, then different families must find their own ways to meet the challenges of succession. Some hire consultants; some transition with parallel businesses; some, no doubt, never get past the...

After an abbreviated three-race campaign in 2023, Nest (Curlin) has returned to training for her 5-year-old season. Mike Repole bought out his partners in the champion 3-year-old filly of 2022--Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House--for a co-topping $6 million at last fall's Fasig-Tipton November sale. "When we put her in the sale, I really went there with a game plan of she might retire as a broodmare," Repole said. "The Japanese were bidding on her and I've seen so many of these horses go to Japan, and, honestly, I didn't...

Marion Ravenwood (A.P. Indy), the stakes-winning dam of expected champion 3-year-old filly Nest (Curlin), GISW Idol (Curlin) and this year's stakes-winning juvenile Lost Ark (Violence) was unsurprisingly popular in the Keeneland November sales ring Monday, with Coolmore's MV Magnier coming out on top to secure the 14-year-old for $2.6 million. Hip 187, in foal to Curlin, was consigned by the Lyster family's Ashview Farm. Ashview and Richard Santulli's Colts Neck Stables paid $400,000 for Marion Ravenwood at the 2017 renewal of this sale while she was carrying eventual MSP Dr...

Nest tuned up for her engagement in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland next month with an effortless victory in the GII Beldame S. at Aqueduct Sunday. Making her first start against her elders, the 1-9 favorite broke well from her inside post and was on the lead in the early strides before allowing Travel Column (Frosted) to take over heading into the first turn. Nest settled into third as Travel Column set the tempo with First to Act tracking in second as the quarter went up in :24.52...

The Jockey Club has elected six new members: Len Coleman, who served alongside Dr. Nancy Cox as co-chair of the blue-ribbon nominating committee that was formed to select members of the board of directors and standing committees of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA); Dr. Nancy Cox, in addition to her aforementioned role, Cox is the vice president for Land Grant Engagement and the dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the University of Kentucky (UK). Also elected were Marc Holliday, who was elected chairman of...

Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House's Nest (Curlin) found herself somewhat surprisingly on the lead early in Saturday's GI Coaching Club American Oaks, but still left little doubt as to who the top sophomore filly in the country is right now as she galloped home 12 1/4 lengths clear of main rival Secret Oath (Arrogate) in the Saratoga stretch. Having seen a three-race win streak snapped when she settled for second as the favorite to Secret Oath in the May 6 GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, Nest was coming...

Wayne Lyster always knew it to be miracle enough, for a farm this size, simply to get both into the starting gate. The Derby-Oaks double hadn't been accomplished since the heyday of Calumet, 70 years previously, and at Ashview, they foal out no more than a couple of dozen mares every spring. As such, Lyster can justly take pride in the fact that both Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) and Nest (Curlin) finished their races so well, for fifth and second, respectively, that they are now converging instead on the GI...

Our community couldn't have started the most momentous week of its calendar more auspiciously than by absorbing the wit and wisdom--or a sample, at least, of those infinite resources--of Arthur B. Hancock, III of Stone Farm, most deserving Honor Guest at the Thoroughbred Club of America's 89th Testimonial Dinner Monday. But I suspect that we'll need to heed his example and counsel rather more closely, over the coming years, if we are still to invite the world beyond our parish to judge us by the showcase we present the first...

With a third place effort in the Tempted S. Nov. 5 at Belmont Park the only blemish to her otherwise perfect four race record, Nest used her neck victory Dec. 4 in the GII Demoiselle S. as a springboard into the winner's circle here. Carrying great expectations as the 1-5 overwhelming favorite, Nest briefly drifted out after the break, but went into the first turn comfortably stalking from third to the outside of the field. Glued to Alittleloveandluck (Arrogate) as the pair tracked a frontrunner through a moderate pace in...

As I sat down to write this column Monday, I got a text from a bloodstock agent that said, "Heard Medina Spirit broke down at Santa Anita a little while ago. Gonna be a shit storm." I checked Twitter right away, but there was nothing yet about Medina Spirit (Protonico). I didn't have to wait long. Some minutes later, the "I heard Medina Spirit..." tweets started trickling out, and then the dam burst. Everyone had something to say, and most of it was derogatory or innuendo about his trainer, Bob...