Calumet Farm

If there was a Thoroughbred who ever needed legal counsel to mount an adequate defense of his life, then perhaps it would be Calumet Farm's MGISW Alydar. His battles with rival Affirmed as both a juvenile, and of course, through the 1978 Triple Crown are now the stuff of legend. However, what has clouded all those spectacular past performances came during his stallion career when he tragically died from an injury which was sustained while he was in his Calumet stall on a November night in 1990. Officially chalked up...

Racegoers can be forgiven a bit of deju vu when War Like Goddess (m, 6, English Channel--Misty North, by North Light {Ire}) won the GIII Bewitch S. at Keeneland Friday as it was, indeed, the third straight year she won the race. She is only the third horse in Keeneland history--and first in nearly 50 years--to win the same race at the storied Central Kentucky track three consecutive times. The five-horse field broke with recent GIII La Prevoyante S. winner Personal Best (Tapit) tumbling out of the stalls, but the...

Calumet Farm's unbeaten homebred Far Bridge (c, 3, English Channel--Fitpitcher, by Kitten's Joy) kicked home impressively for 'TDN Rising Star' honors in a grassy optional claimer at Gulfstream Park Saturday. The bay was a head better than the promising Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) over the same course and distance on debut Jan. 21. Carl Spackler returned to earn a 'Rising Star' tag of his own with a smashing, 8 3/4-length maiden victory here Feb. 25. Hammered down to 1-2 here, Far Bridge raced under cover passing the...

John Veitch, a Hall of Famer who trained numerous stars, including Alydar, whose legendary battles with Affirmed were part of one of the sport's greatest rivalries, passed away Tuesday in Lexington, Kentucky. He was 77. The news of Veitch's passing was first reported by the Blood-Horse. Veitch's training career ran from 1974 through 2003. According to Equibase, he had 410 career winners and his stable amassed earnings of $20,097,980. He won 76 graded stakes and 93 stakes races overall. Veitch's best years came as the head trainer for Calumet Farm....

GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. winner Lexitonian (Speightstown) was represented by his first foal Sunday. The filly, out of a half-sister to dual Eclipse winner Roy H. (More Than Ready), was born at Calumet Farm. "We've been excited to see the foals for our homebred Lexitonian and are delighted that the first one is born at Calumet," said Eddie Cane, general manager of Calumet. "She has a lot of leg, good bone, and is well balanced." Lexitonian stands at Lane's End for a fee of $7,500.

According to The Jockey Club Information Systems on Friday, once again, Godolphin led the individual breeders list in North America for 2022 with $18,621,521 in earnings. Topping the list in 2021, this time around they bred 189 starters with 150 wins, 125 seconds and 117 thirds out of 873 starts. Calumet Farm was second for the second consecutive year with earnings of $17,892,055 with 505 wins out of 3,666 starts. Godolphin also commanded the breeders list that includes partners with $22,135,787 in earnings and 229 wins from 1,603 starts, with...

The third annual Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance (ITA) Stallions and Services Auction kicks off on the Starquine.com platform Friday, Dec. 16 and will run through Monday, Dec. 19 at 5 p.m. ET. The auction benefits the philanthropic efforts of the ITA to support aftercare, education and promotional efforts for the Indiana horse racing industry. Stallions from Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Florida are included in the auction from: Arrowhead Thoroughbreds, Breakway Farm, Calumet, Chesapeake Farm, Crestwood, Darby Dan, Gainesway, Indiana Stallion Station, Poplar Creek Horse Farm, R Star Stallions, Taylor Made Stallions...

The Ohio Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners will offer over 75 stallion seasons during its 2022 auction which will be hosted by Starquine.com. Preview days will be held Dec. 5-6 and the auction opens Dec. 7 and continues through  8 p.m. Dec. 8. Darby Dan Farm will offer seasons to its entire roster of stallions, as will Indiana Stallion Station. Also participating in the auction are farms such as Gainesway, Lane's End, Claiborne, WinStar, Calumet, Walmac, Airdrie, Darley, and Ashford. Regional sires from from Raimonde Farms, RC Cline, and additional Ohio...

Edited Press Release Keeneland has purchased historic Manchester Farm. Located on the northern boundary of Keeneland Race Course, Manchester Farm is one of the most recognizable farms in Kentucky. Originally named Manchester Springs Plantation after a creek that runs through the property, the farm has a rich history that dates back to the 1700s. In 1804, Francis Keen (first generation of the Keene family) passed 200 acres of Manchester Springs Plantation to his son. The land remained in the Keen/Keene family for five generations until 1935, when J.O. "Jack" Keene...

This week's TDN Triple Crown feature examines the GI Belmont S. entrants listed in "likeliest winner" order. 1) Mo Donegal (c, Uncle Mo--Callingmissbrown, by Pulpit) O-Donegal Racing & Repole Stable. B-Ashview Farm & Colts Neck Stables (KY). T-Todd Pletcher. Sales History: $250,000 yrl '20 KEESEP. You could argue that Mo Donegal lost the GI Kentucky Derby at the post draw after getting stuck with the dreaded rail gate. But his fifth-place effort, beaten 5 3/4 lengths in a stretch finish that featured the 1-2-3 horses all running full-tilt to the...

Jack Sisterson, who has trained privately for Calumet Farm since 2018, is going public. Calumet will remain as a client and will keep a number of horses with Sisterson, but significantly fewer than he has typically had. Sisterson said he is making the move in the hopes that expanding and taking on other owners will lead to more opportunities. "This is something we have been discussing for a few months," he said. "I give all the credit to Calumet. If it weren't for them I wouldn't be where I am...

I'm pinning my faith in Happy Jack. Not to win, obviously, even after a Derby so outlandish that it still confounds the handicapper's genius for rationalizing the most unaccountable events with the invincible benefit of hindsight.