Breeding

For a stallion farm, it's the equivalent of the "difficult second album" so notorious in the music industry. You've launched a new sire, and profited from the customary stampede of commercial mares. But the vogue proves to be cruelly fleeting. When he returns to the covering shed, the following spring, he offers exactly the same performance history, chromosomes and conformation as before. But suddenly the phone is cold. Precisely the factors that drove his debut book--novelty, plus security from imminent exposure of his competence (or otherwise) to replicate ability--have meanwhile...

Eskendereya (Giant's Causeway--Aldebaran Light, by Seattle Slew), whose son Mitole was the leading freshman sire of 2023 by winners and progeny earnings, died of heart failure Mar. 2 at Shichinohe Stallion Station in Japan, where he had been standing since 2016. He was 17 years of age. Bred in Kentucky by Sanford Robertson, Eskendereya was purchased by Zayat Stables for $250,000 at the 2008 Keeneland September sale. Turned over to Todd Pletcher, the chestnut broke his maiden in a rained-off renewal of the 2009 Pilgrim S. and switched to the...

The 2024 All American Thoroughbred Stallion Sale put on by Jockeys and Jeans raised a total of $95,550, the organization announced Friday. The proceeds, which will benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF), are a record for the sale which also included a record 48 seasons sold. Donations came from 32 farms across seven states and included 73 no-guarantee seasons purchased by 25 individual breeders. "It was truly a community effort and one whose response proves racing is indeed a community; one that cares," said Interim Jockeys and Jeans President...

'TDN Rising Star' and new stallion Mullion (Into Mischief), standing at Sequel New York in partnership with Juddmonte, reported his first mares in foal Friday according to a release by the farm. The full-brother to fellow 'Rising Star', GI Kentucky Derby winner and Juddmonte stallion Mandaloun has a pair of mares, Stillness (Constitution) and Rockin Emmzy (Tale of the Cat), confirmed in foal. Mullion stands at Sequel New York alongside Honest Mischief (Into Mischief), Keepmeinmind (Laoban), Fire At Will (Declaration of War), Freud (Storm Cat) and Mission Impazible (Unbridled's Song).

The TDN's popular annual series 'Mating Plans, presented by Spendthrift,' continues today in a conversation with Pin Oak Stud's Clifford Barry "Planning matings is always fun, putting all the tools you have available to make the best decision for your mare in hope of breeding the next champion," said Barry, a long-time advisor to the late Josephine Abercrombie and now serving the farm's current owners, Jim and Dana Bernhard. "As a team, we sit around the table and make the best decisions we can to help our mares achieve the...

Country singer/songwriter Toby Keith passed away Monday following a battle with stomach cancer, his family announced Tuesday. While best known for his music career, which included 20 No. 1 hits, he also owned and bred Thoroughbreds and was known for his passion of the sport. Keith raced and bred primarily under the name of Dream Walkin Farms, which started its first horse in 2001. Dream Walkin was a song on an album by the same name that Keith released in 1997. According to Equibase, Dream Walkin won 848 races and...

With increases since 2017 in both the total value impacted and equine-related employment, the 2023 findings of the Equine Economic Impact Survey by the American Horse Council (AHC) reflect the positive contributions of the equine industry on the U.S. economy, the organization said via a release Wednesday. The survey offers a comprehensive overview of the economic impact and trends within the sector and highlights how the industry reaches far beyond the pastures and ranch land across the country. Highlights include: Diverse Economic Sectors Impacted: $177 billion. That's the total value...

8th-TAM, $53K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 4:03 p.m. ET. Bred by Clearsky Farms, ACCLAIMED VICTOR (Omaha Beach) makes his first start for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The $725,000 Keeneland September grad, who was purchased by St. Elias, was the third highest selling yearling in 2022 by his top five first-crop sire. Out of Color Me Flying (Distorted Humor), the 3-year-old is a half-brother to MGSP Colorful Mischief (Into Mischief), who St. Elias acquired at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Sale for $300,000. Acclaimed Victor's extended female family includes his...

Edited Press Release The Board of Directors of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB) held its first meeting of 2024 on Friday, Jan. 19. The newly seated board unanimously elected Dr. Scott Ahlschwede, D.V.M., to serve as Board President through 2026. Current NYTB director Seth Gregory, owner of Innisfree Farm and Seth Gregory Bloodstock, was elected to the office of Vice President. The board also elected Lere Visagie, owner of Rockridge Stud, to serve as Secretary-Treasurer. Dr. Ahlschwede is a shareholder veterinarian with Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and owner...

Early Voting (Gun Runner), who got 120 mares in foal during his first season at stud last season before a rare condition led to his being removed from stud duties on the advice of veterinary experts, has been cured and will continue his stud career at Taylor Made Stallions in 2024. He covered his first book of mares in 2023 at Ashford Stud. Winner of the 2022 GI Preakness S. for Klaravich Stables and Chad Brown, Early Voting retired with three wins from six starts and earnings in excess of...

The first foal for champion 2-year-old and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Corniche (Quality Road) arrived at Denali Stud on Monday when Faith And Honor (Honor Code) produced a filly, Coolmore America said in a release Wednesday. "Our Corniche out of Faith and Honor started off our foaling season at Denali in good order," said Conrad Bandoroff. "The filly has plenty of quality about her with good leg and bone. Very pleased with our start!" A $1.5 million sale topper after breezing a furlong in :10 flat at OBS April,...

Somehow this is a real sweet spot in the market. For a stallion farm, the $10,000 cover is a particular pitch: you're a cent away from offering a horse at four figures, but you feel that dropping him into a low-rent neighborhood might be beneath his dignity. You're offering a very accessible fee, but you're not going to let him look cheap. That makes this a surprisingly congested zone, ample for separate assessment. And since clinging to a five-figure fee somewhat represents a show of faith, some of these sires...