Florida bred

Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky, has welcomed Oct. 30 MSW Noble Drama (Gone Astray), according to a press release early Friday. The 9-year old dark bay gelding arrived at the farm courtesy of his owner and trainer, David Fawkes. Noble Drama earned his ticket to Old Friends when he won the 2018 FTBOA Silver Charm Florida Sire Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, which had been designated as a "retirement for life" at Old Friends race. "From the day we presented Noble Drama with his Old Friends for...

Rated by Merit (Battalion Runner) debuted with a sparkling performance when the colt won by 9 3/4 lengths and posted a 92 Beyer over the same course and distance July 13. Slammed at the windows at 40 cents on the dollar, the homebred was challenged from the bell up the backstretch by Neoeqous (Neolithic). Pushed three wide around the far turn, the juvenile responded and with a big kick down the lane proved his talent. "It kind of went as I thought it would," said trainer Michael Yates. "He's trained...

The fastest 2-year-old so far this season didn't graduate at either Del Mar or Saratoga. That honor belongs to--at least on the Beyer Speed Figure scale (through Aug. 2)--St Elias Stable homebred Rated by Merit (c, 2, Battalion Runner--Banner Waving, by Speightstown), who earned a 92 rating when airing by 9 3/4 lengths for trainer Michael Yates going six furlongs on debut at Gulfstream Park July 13. That is four points higher than the co-second fastest duo of Mentee (City of Light), the younger full-brother of champion Fierceness, and Colloquial...

R Harper Rose (Khozan) represented her fellow Florida-breds well in Saturday's GIII Forward Gal S. over the Hallandale strip as she dropped the hammer down the lane to win. The OBS March grad made her debut a winning one as she streaked to a gate-to-wire finish by 6 1/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park in early August. Stepping into optional claiming company over the same surface Sept. 22, the filly was equally as potent when she won by 5 3/4 lengths. On her home floor last fall, the bay took on...

An unprecedented $2.1 million will fill the Florida-Bred Incentive Fund (FBIF) for overnight race conditions to start the new year, the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association (FTBOA), Gulfstream Park and the Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association said in a combined release Wednesday. Independently, the FTBOA revealed that an additional $1.3 million of Florida-bred race incentives on Gulfstream Park stakes and selected overnights to complement the expanded FBIF and longstanding Florida-Sire Sire Stakes 2-year-old series is on tap. The combined programs, totaling $4.6 million, are substantially enabled by HB 7063, a...

Simplification (Not This Time) was named the 2022 Florida-bred Horse of the Year in a vote by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association board of directors. Bred by France Weiner and her late husband Irwin Weiner, Simplification, who was also named the 2022 Florida-bred Champion 3-Year-Old Colt, was recognized for his victories in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. in April and in the Mucho Macho Man S. in January, both at Gulfstream. He also produced several other graded-stakes performances in 2022 including a fourth-place finish in the...

The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association has announced enhanced incentives for Florida-breds in Gulfstream Park stakes. The estimated $2-million FTBOA program begins Apr. 1 and extends through December. The GI Curlin Florida Derby card Apr. 1 includes more than $650,000 performance bonuses for FTBOA registered Florida-breds and for Florida Sire Stakes (FSS) eligible contenders. FTBOA offers $100,000 to owners of FTBOA registered Florida-breds, plus $100,000 for eligible FSS owners that finish first, second or third in the Florida Derby, to be paid on a 60%-30%-10% basis, respectively. The GII...

GII Pat Day Mile winner Rushie (Liam's Map) was represented by his first foal, a Florida-bred filly, born Jan. 31. Out of Julia's Pride (Proud Citizen), the filly is bred by Jay Goodwin, Susan Montanye and Andy Pickerell. "We couldn't be more pleased to congratulate the breeders on a really spectacular Rushie filly. She looks to have his powerful shoulder and plenty of leg, which is exactly what we were hoping Rushie would pass along to his progeny," said Dex Comardelle of Blue Star Racing. "This is a great start...

8th-GP, $54k, Alw, (S) 3yo, f, 6f, 3:37 p.m. ET Robert and Lawana Low's MUNNYS GOLD (Munnings) returns to action following an eye-catching 14 1/2-length victory in her career unveiling at Monmouth Park last June. Earning a 101 speed Beyer for the TDN Rising Star-earning performance that day, the Florida-bred counted among her vanquished rivals runner-up Alma Rose (Sharp Azteca), who went on to air next time out at Colonial and subsequently took a stakes race at Delaware. A $300,000 at the Fasig-Tipton July Sale, well above her sire's 2021...

It might feel a touch trite to repeat it, but the timeworn observation is such for a reason: the stallion market is one packed to the brim with tough customers and salty competition. And it turns out, both literally and metaphorically as evidenced by the recently released Report of Mares Bred. Breeders gravitate to quality and are more frequently turning to tried-and-true sources to find it, or are becoming more demanding of first-year sires before taking the chance. In an economy where connections are forced to steadily tighten their belts,...

Boppy O (Bolt d'Oro) was greeted by an ecstatic winner's circle as he circled back to the Saratoga grandstand after his 23-1 upset in the GIII With Anticipation S., but he had another cheering squad celebrating from his birthplace in Reddick, Florida. His breeders George and Karen Russell of Rustlewood Farm were out with friends as the juvenile colt made his turf debut, but they didn't hesitate to huddle around their phone at the dinner table so they could watch the race live. "We were thinking it would sure be...

Florida horse country is near synonymous with yearlings, training farms, and the promise a young horse brings to the legions of supporters behind it. With hotly contested claims as to who exactly holds the title of 'Horse Capital of the World', diehard Lexingtonians more than willing to defend their claims to the ends of time, some tend to get too caught up in splitting hairs. Regional markets can, and do play, a prominent role in building dynasties. They provide a foundation without which the industry could not stand; at least,...