Checkmate Thoroughbreds

Lexington-based EquiRing, an online auction platform, has catalogued eight horses for its May Mixed Sale, which will be held Tuesday, May 2. Checkmate Thoroughbreds is the consignor of all eight entries. Among the catalogued horses is Cashing Tickets (Indian Charlie), dam of GSW Leggs Galore (Bayern). The 12-year-old gray was covered by Into Mischief Mar. 2 and has been checked in foal. Visit EquiRing.com for more information, including a preview of the catalogue and instructions on how to register as a buyer.

Edited Press Release EquiRing, in conjunction with Adrian Gonzalez of Checkmate Thoroughbreds, will join forces to create a sales venue for the California market. The first sale, which will be held in April, will have a focus on 2-year-olds, horses in training, and proven horses with notable updates. The sale will also be open to breeding stock. "California is a vibrant market with great owners and breeders," said Adrian Gonzalez. "We are hungry for a consistent and efficient way to trade horses. We have worked with EquiRing and enjoyed success...

A Sir Prancealot colt brought $50,000 to top Wednesday's California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Northern California Yearling and Horses of Racing Age Sale at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. The colt, out of the Union Rags mare Root Beer Rag, was bred by Jeff Ganje, consigned by Checkmate Thoroughbreds and was purchased by Robert Jones of San Leandro. The highest-priced filly in the sale was by Vronsky, out of the Cyclotron mare Eden Mirelle, was bred by Ron Rand and Courtney Rand, consigned by Harris Farms, agent, and purchased by Andy Mathis...

Halladay (War Front--Hightap, by Tapit), winner of the 2020 GI Fourstardave H., has been retired from racing and will stand the 2022 breeding season at Harris Farms in California as the property of a syndicate led by Adrian Gonzalez of Checkmate Thoroughbreds. He will stand for an introductory fee of $7,500, live foal stand and nurse guarantee, with shares available. Racing for Harrell Ventures and trainer Todd Pletcher, Halladay also won the 2019 Tropical Park Derby and 2020 Sunshine Forever S. On the board in 12 of 17 starts, the...

Bidding returns to the Fairplex Sales Pavilion in Pomona Tuesday for the one-session Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings and Horses of All Ages Sale. The action begins at noon, with 251 catalogued yearlings, and--for the first time--21 weanlings and broodmare/broodmare prospects in a section of horses of all ages. "The catalogue is very strong," said Fasig-Tipton's California representative Mike Machowsky. "There are some good-pedigreed horses and some good stallions on top of that, with Kentucky-sired Cal-breds, as well as our local sires." Shoppers were out in force on the sales grounds...

Adrian Gonzalez was possibly just humoring his wife Erin when he trudged up the hill through the snow at Keeneland on the last day of the November sale in 2017, but the hike proved fruitful when the couple came home with Expo Gold (Johannesburg) for just $13,000. The mare was in foal to Daredevil and the filly she had already produced that year by that same sire would go on to become Grade I winner Swiss Skydiver. While Expo Gold has changed hands three times since the November sale, the...

A newly turned 2-year-old filly by Declaration of War topped Tuesday's California Thoroughbred Breeders' Association January Mixed Sale at the Hinds Pavilion in Fairplex when selling for $60,000 to O.J. Jauregui as agent for Highland Yard. Consigned by Adrian Gonzalez's Checkmate Thoroughbreds, the dark bay is out of Lemarchos (Lemon Drop Kid), a half-sister to Grade I winner Celestine (Scat Daddy). She sold for $9,000 at last year's Keeneland January sale and was acquired by Jose Zulaica's Valle Las Palmas for $5,500 at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale. In...