Bill Heiligbrodt

Bellavinino (Get Stormy), a latest second in the $1-million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies Stakes, brought a final bid of $170,000 from prominent owner/breeder Bill Heiligbrodt to top the Inglis Digital USA September Sale. Bred by Brian Burns's Mt Joy Stables Inc. the dark bay filly easily defeated $35,000 maiden claimers on Gulfstream Park debut July 28 ahead of a fourth in a $250,000 restricted allowance test at Kentucky Downs Aug. 29. Returned on 10 days' rest for the Juvenile Fillies, Bellavinino was always handy to the pace and overcame some...

It's the surprises that keep us interested in pedigrees, and that applies as much to people as to horses. Cogburn, who recently sprinted to a world record in the GI Jaipur Stakes, is out of a mare by Saintly Look. Saintly Who? A son of Saint Ballado, and winner of the GIII Lecomte Stakes in 2003, Saintly Look covered a couple of small books in Indiana, in 2008 and 2009, and was then sold for $17,500 at the Keeneland November Sale. Cogburn's dam In a Jif was among nine named...

A colt by Street Boss (hip 28), one of six to share the furlong bullet of :10 1/5 during the under-tack preview show Monday, topped the Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale when bringing a final bid of $265,000 from Tracy Williams Wednesday at Lone Star Park. The Texas-bred juvenile, the first foal out of Gemmizell (Gemologist), was consigned by Pike Racing at Highlander. "To be honest, when we came here, we thought he would be one of the better ones," said consignor Al Pike. "You never know if you're going...

3rd-Oaklawn, $140,000, Alw (NW1$X), Opt. Clm ($100,000), 2-11, 3yo, 6f, 1:10.81, sy, 4 1/4 lengths. BOOTH (c, 3, Mitole--Sophia's Song {SW & GSP, $155,892}, by Bellamy Road) earned the 'TDN Rising Star' badge with a towering 5 1/4-length debut success at Keeneland Oct. 7, good for a 96 Beyer that was a few points faster than the one posted by Locked (Gun Runner) in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity two races earlier, the different distances notwithstanding. The chestnut was accordingly sent off at 62 cents on the dollar to take...

The TDN sat down with longtime owner/breeder Bill Heiligbrodt for the next installment in this ongoing series presented in cooperation with the Consignors and Breeders Association (CBA). Through conversations with buyers and sellers, the series looks to contribute to the discussion on radiograph findings and their impact on racetrack success. Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt have been in the racing game some 30 years and have enjoyed top-level success with Yaupon (Uncle Mo), winner of the 2021 GI Forego S., as well as Eclipse champion sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya). Both Grade I...

LEXINGTON, KY - The Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale got off to a solid start Monday in Lexington, with graded-stakes winner Munny Spunt (Munnings), in foal to Triple Crown winner Justify, bringing the day's top price of $340,000. In all, 182 horses sold during the day for a gross of $5,524,300. The average of $30,353 dipped 8.9% from last year's opening session, while the median of $10,500 was down 27.6%. The buy-back rate was 20.5%. It was 16.1% a year ago. "I thought there was fair trade and there was...

You had to see it to believe it. With Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior) savaging favored Yaupon (c, 4, Uncle Mo--Modification, by Vindication) repeatedly down the stretch in Saturday's GI Forego S. at Saratoga, the 2-1 pacesetter battled on gamely along the rail to secure a dramatic head victory. Chance It (Currency Swap) was third. "I will watch that replay many times in my future," winning trainer Steve Asmussen said. "For that to happen in a Grade I at Saratoga with two horses on the lead, that will be memorable. I...

It was back in the late seventies and early eighties, well before Steve Asmussen had his trainer's license, that the foundation was being set for what was to become a historic career. He was studying under his parents, Keith and Marilyn Asmussen, the multi-talented Texas-based team that did a little bit of everything, including breaking dozens of babies that would go on to stardom on the racetrack. Their youngest son, just a teenager then, saw what it took to be successful, the can't-miss combination of hard work, skill, devotion to...