Eddie Woods

With the start of the 2-year-old in training sales just around the corner, a visit to Ocala proved to be informative as we checked in with consignors who are starting the fine-tuning process with their sales horses. In the weeks leading up to the OBS March Sale, which starts March 15, we will release a series of video features covering the topics everyone is talking about as the sales season approaches: Who might be this year's top freshman sire? Which freshman sires could be flying under the radar? What horses...

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association is hosting a Pedigree & Conformation Clinic on Saturday and Sunday, Mar. 12-13 in Ocala, Florida. The clinic will be held at the Ocala Breeders' Sales grounds. Speakers include: representatives from the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners Association, including Tammy Gantt; Andrew Vanlangendonck and Francis Vanlangendonck of Summerfield Sales; Dr. Jeffrey T. Berk (veterinarian); Marette Farrell (bloodstock agent); Tod Wojciechowski, director of sales for Ocala Breeders' Sales Company; Eddie Woods of Eddie Woods Training Center; Gail Rice (breeder); and more. Meals, educational materials, and...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. After getting checked sharply in the early stages of his belated unveiling at Fair Grounds last weekend, $1.5-million Fasig-Tipton Midlantic topper Vinco (c, 3, Quality Road--Stormy Welcome, by Storm Cat) produced a serious rally from last to finish a strong second Jan. 22 (video). Off at a well-supported 7-2 sporting a 13-strong worktab for the patient Dallas Stewart barn dating back to late October, the West Point Thoroughbreds...

OCALA, FL - Steady trade continued through the second session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company June Sale of 2-Year-Olds Thursday in Central Florida, with a filly by Nyquist bringing the day's top bid when selling for $420,000 to Gary Hartunian's Rockingham Ranch. The session-topping juvenile was consigned by Eddie Woods. "It was another good day," OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski said at the close of business Thursday. "We carried a lot of the momentum that we had yesterday into today and I think it will carry on through...

What are the chances? Well, actually, it's easy enough to do the math. There were 21,181 Thoroughbred foals in the North American crop of 2018. Of these, Woodstock Farm took in its usual dozen or so colts. And, of these, two will line up next Saturday among the favorites for the final leg of the Triple Crown. "I'm sure it's happened before," says the farm's owner Ben Berger. "At Gainesway and Claiborne, Taylor Made and Lane's End, Darby Dan, all these farms. I'm sure they've had some really good horses...

TIMONIUM, MD - The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale returned to its traditional May spot on the calendar with an ebullient session topped by a $1.5-million son of Quality Road at the Maryland State Fairgrounds Monday. The seven-figure purchase was the co-highest priced colt ever sold at the Timonium auction, tying the price of a Curlin colt sold in 2017. "It was unbelievable," Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett said at the close of business Monday. "The activity in the barn area over the weekend was strong and all of...

West Point Thoroughbreds' Terry Finley saw off a determined Amr Zedan to acquire a colt by Quality Road for $1.5 million Monday at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Consigned by Eddie Woods on behalf of breeder Jon Clay's Alpha Delta, the dark bay colt worked a co-bullet furlong in :10 flat during last week's under-tack preview. He is out of the unraced Stormy Welcome (Storm Cat), a half-sister to the dam of graded winner Guest Suite (Quality Road). His third dam is blue hen mare Weekend Surprise (Secretariat)....

TIMONIUM, MD - The under-tack show ahead of next week's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale kicked off under sunny skies and unseasonably cool temperatures in the mid-50s at the Maryland State Fairgrounds Tuesday. A colt by More Than Ready turned in the day's fastest quarter-mile work, while a colt by Malibu Moon and a filly by Empire Maker shared the fastest furlong time. Kip Elser's Kirkwood Stables sent out hip 166, a son of More Than Ready out of graded winner Separate Forest (Forestry) to work the quarter-mile bullet...

LOUISVILLE, KY - With the first Saturday in May just days away, TDN Senior Editor Steve Sherack caught up with the connections of leading GI Kentucky Derby contenders to get some of their 'Early Impressions.' In this edition, we check in with Hermitage Farm General Manager Bill Landes and Ocala, Florida, horseman Eddie Woods. Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) found another gear in the stretch to punch his ticket to Louisville in the GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby. Last year's 94-1 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up, a $17,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February yearling...

2nd-Keeneland, $59,524, Msw, 4-23, 2yo, 4 1/2f, :51.75, ft, 2 1/4 lengths. HEADLINE REPORT (c, 2, Gormley--Green Eyed Cat, by Tale of the Cat) was pounded into debut odds of 30 cents on the dollar and did his best work through the wire to become the first winner for his freshman sire (by Malibu Moon) Friday at Keeneland. Off slowly beneath John Velazquez and immediately under the pump, the bay quickly made up for lost time and was on even terms with La Belleza Negra (Cairo Prince) as they hit...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-KEE, $60K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, post time: 1:05 p.m. ET NAPA SPIRIT (IRE) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) sports a flashy worktab for trainer Wesley Ward, including a trio of bullets over the Palm Meadows turf, for this debut run. Agent Ben McElroy paid £420,000 on behalf of Stonestreet Stables for the bay at last year's GOFSEP Yearling sale. Joel Rosario has the call on the even-money morning-line favorite, who hails from the extended female family of G1 Golden Jubilee S. winner Malhub (Kingmambo). Ward and...

By Christie DeBernardis & Jessica Martini The four-day Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale got off to a strong start Tuesday. A colt from the first crop of Horse of the Year Gun Runner (Hip 118) was the day's hottest commodity, bringing $850,000 from Donato Lanni, acting on behalf of Michael Lund Petersen. Hip 118 was one of 181 juveniles to sell for a gross of $17,829,500. The average was $98,506 and the median was $50,000. Of the 304 catalogued, 225 were offered with 44 horses leaving the ring unsold...