Becky Thomas

GSW The Lieutenant (Street Sense), a half-brother to Triple Crown winner Justify, had just one crop before his life was tragically cut short and a filly from that lone crop as among the bullet breezers during the seventh and final session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale under-tack show Saturday. Bred and consigned by Becky Thomas's Sequel New York, which stood The Lieutenant, Hip 1123 covered a quarter-mile in :20 4/5. "She preps well, is a beautiful mover and always trained like that," Thomas said. "I felt pretty...

by Christie DeBernardis & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL--To no one's surprise, Into Mischief--a $180,000 purchase at the auction 15 years ago--was the star of the show at the opening session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2022 March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Tuesday, with two of his colts bringing seven figures during a strong day of trade. Hip 257, a son of Zapara (Not For Love) was first to break the seven-figure barrier, bringing $1.1 million from Hideyuki Mori. It wasn't long before Hip 277, a son of MGISW...

Not long after a son of Into Mischief broke the seven-figure barrier at $1.1 million, another colt by Spendthrift's sizzling sire summoned a cool million from the Brad Cox colt group, in which Spendthrift is a major player. The colt's breeder, Chester Broman, will stay in for 25%. Bred in New York, Hip 277 is out of Broman's MGISW Artemis Agrotera (Roman Ruler), whose first foal Chestertown (Tapit) topped this sale at $2-million in 2019.

Grade I-producing sire Laoban is off to a fast start in Kentucky as he nears the completion of his first book at WinStar Farm. Meanwhile, his son Keepmeinmind, one of two graded winners for the son of Uncle Mo, readies for his bid in Saturday's GI Preakness S. "He has settled in and is doing really well," WinStar's President and CEO Elliott Walden said. "He's going to breed around 140 mares this year." The transition from Laoban's original stud farm, Sequel Stallions in New York, to WinStar was a breeze,...

The under-tack show for next week's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, delayed a day by Sunday's stormy weather, got underway Monday in Central Florida with 13 juveniles sharing the bullet furlong time of :10 flat and a filly by Violence turning in the day's fastest quarter-mile breeze. Eddie Woods consigns hip 107, a daughter of Violence out of the unraced Royal Paradise (Unbridled's Song). The bay filly claimed the session's quarter-mile bullet time of :20 3/5. "I was expecting a good work for her," Woods...

OCALA, FL- Hardy attempts at optimism were made at last year's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale, but an unmistakably ominous atmosphere hung over the grounds. Before the first hip had even reached the walking ring in Ocala, both Keeneland's April Sale and Fasig-Tipton's Gulfstream Sale had been canceled as the tentacles of the Coronavirus pandemic tightened their grip around the nation. There was an unforgettable discord between the then-normalcy of crowded local restaurants and stores while sporting event and festival cancellations seemed to happen between the start of each...

Regally bred stakes winner Honest Mischief (Into Mischief) has his first mares in foal. A winning Exchange Rate mare, Tradeable, and Caragh Queen, a Hard Spun half-sister to GI Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming, checked in foal for breeder William J. Butler. Dobra, a Smoke Glacken mare who won over $200,000 the hard way, checked in foal for breeder Ron Lombardi of Mr. Amore Stables. Delta Delight, a Union Rags half-sister to graded stakes winner JJ's Lucky Train, also checked in foal for breeder Allen Poindexter. "We are happily overwhelmed...

Honest Mischief (Into Mischief-Honest Lady, by Seattle Slew) is the first son of the record-setting leading sire Into Mischief to stand in New York. He also hails from the blue-blooded Juddmonte family that produced Empire Maker, who died at age 20 in January of 2020, leaving a void in the Thoroughbred breeding industry. Raced by Juddmonte and trained by Chad Brown, Honest Mischief now begins his stud career at Becky Thomas's Sequel New York. He will stand for $6,500 LFSN. Honest Mischief broke his maiden his second time out as...

Officials at Sequel Stallions New York have announced stud fees for its five-strong roster for the 2021 breeding season. As was reported last week, 'TDN Rising Star' Honest Mischief (Into Mischief) is new to the Sequel breeding barn and will begin his stud career for an advertised fee of $6,500. He will be backed by a Sequel-led syndicate and his breeder Juddmonte Farm will also support the stallion. Sequel's perennial leading New York sire Freud (Storm Cat), the full-brother to Giant's Causeway whose progeny have earned better than $65 million...

NETFLIX, ANYONE?    In these days of self-isolation, the need to find your next great t.v. series is greater than ever. We asked some industry folks what they're watching these days, and for their top recommendations to last us until we can leave our homes again. Pull up a couch!  BECKY THOMAS I think at times like this we should all binge watch (if we weren't taking care of these horses we can't sell!) "Curb Your Enthusiasm." It is funny and lighthearted about ordinary every day activities. JEN ROYTZ, RETIRED...

by Brian DiDonato & Steve Sherack Under the cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic and a sharp stock market reaction, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale kicked off Tuesday with mixed results for sellers--as expected--but probably with better trade than some may have feared. At the end of selling Tuesday, 134 head had changed hands for a combined $12,550,500 at an average of $93,660 and median of $50,000. Those stats are expected to change as buyers continue to shop the RNA list and subsequent post-sale transactions are...

It's time for our annual favorite question. We surveyed some top judges on who their leading first-crop sire is, and asked them to give us some under-the-radar picks as well. BECKY THOMAS The first stallion that comes to mind that I really like is Frosted. I have three that are all very racey. They've given me a good first impression of their sire. They seem to be a lot more precocious than what you would think of with Tapits, and they're all three very speedy-looking. They all have great hips,...