Idol

After an abbreviated three-race campaign in 2023, Nest (Curlin) has returned to training for her 5-year-old season. Mike Repole bought out his partners in the champion 3-year-old filly of 2022--Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House--for a co-topping $6 million at last fall's Fasig-Tipton November sale. "When we put her in the sale, I really went there with a game plan of she might retire as a broodmare," Repole said. "The Japanese were bidding on her and I've seen so many of these horses go to Japan, and, honestly, I didn't...

The first reported foal for Taylor Made's Idol (Curlin) is a New York-bred colt, according to the farm. Born on Wednesday, Jan. 3, the colt is out of Meteoric Matron (Mineshaft), a full-sister to MSW & GSP Mine Over Matter, and was bred by Bill Johnson's Stonegate Stables. "This is the best foal that this proven mare has ever produced," said Johnson. "He has excellent size and bone. For a January 3rd baby, we have size, bone, and a very strong foal. We love the sire's pedigree. We specifically bred...

Not This Time (Giant's Causeway), whose three-time Grade I-winning son Up To the Mark is a leading candidate for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf and Horse of the Year honors, will stand the 2024 breeding season for a fee of $150,000, stands-and-nurses terms, at Taylor Made Stallions. Not This Time stood the 2023 season for $135,000. The sire of 2022 champion 3-year-old male Epicenter, Not This Time has gone from strength to strength this term, and sits in eighth position on the general sire list with better than $10.4 million...

Runaway leading third-crop sire Not This Time (Giant's Causeway) will stand for $135,000 S&N in 2023 as the headliner of the Taylor Made Stallions roster, the farm announced Monday. The leading freshman sire of 2020 by number of winners and black-type winners, and the leading second-crop sire of 2021 in all key statistical categories, Not This Time once again finds himself at the top of the heap this season. In 2022, he boasts a crop-best 12 stakes winners, 25 black-type horses, five graded stakes winners, a pair of Grade I...

Idol (Curlin), winner of the GI Santa Anita H. and a full brother to MGISW Nest, has been retired and will stand the upcoming breeding season at Taylor Made Stallions. A $375,000 Keeneland September grad, he retires with a record of 8-3-2-1 and earnings of $426,964. A Repole Stable/Taylor Made Stallions Venture, Idol will stand the 2023 season for $10,000 S&N. "Idol fits the profile of what we are looking for," said Taylor Made's Ben Taylor. "He's by a world-class sire and out of a world-class producer. He's got the...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:00 p.m. LOST ARK (Violence), a $275,000 KEESEP yearling purchase, is a half-brother to GISW & recent GI Belmont S. runner-up Nest (Curlin), as well as GI Santa Anita H. winner Idol (Curlin). Trained by Todd Pletcher, Lost Ark worked a bullet from the gate June 26, going four furlongs in :47 1/5 (1/48) and picks up jockey Flavien Prat for his debut. TJCIS PPs

With a third place effort in the Tempted S. Nov. 5 at Belmont Park the only blemish to her otherwise perfect four race record, Nest used her neck victory Dec. 4 in the GII Demoiselle S. as a springboard into the winner's circle here. Carrying great expectations as the 1-5 overwhelming favorite, Nest briefly drifted out after the break, but went into the first turn comfortably stalking from third to the outside of the field. Glued to Alittleloveandluck (Arrogate) as the pair tracked a frontrunner through a moderate pace in...

The old school has found a new Idol. The son of Curlin made his breakthrough a couple of weekends ago in a race cherished by traditionalists, and did so with genes of which much the same might be said. Indeed, if the GI Santa Anita H. winner can go on from here--and he has still only made six starts--to lead the older-horse division, then we'll be looking at one of the most eligible stud prospects on the scene. Even traditionalists, of course, must accept that the world moves on. Or,...

In the fall of 2018, Torie and Jimbo Gladwell, owners of the Ocala-based Top Line Sales, welcomed into their training program a colt by Curlin out of the stakes-winning Marion Ravenwood (A.P. Indy). Some 2 1/2 years later, the bay colt--now named Idol--is a Grade I winner, having flown home down the center of the track to take out the prestigious Santa Anita H. Mar. 6. The victory was the second leg of a unique triple for Top Line graduates over the last few weeks. Idol was bred by Len...

The Week in Review, by T.D. Thornton Generally speaking, when your horse is parked near last for most of the trip, fanned six wide on the far turn, fifth with a furlong to go, and still third 100 yards from the wire, your chances of winning are slim. Unless Joel Rosario is riding, of course. That was the exact scenario facing Idol (Curlin) in deep stretch of Saturday's GI Santa Anita H. at Santa Anita Park. Yet "Judicious Joel," who at age 36 is without fanfare blossoming into the absolute...

Calvin Nguyen's Idol (Curlin) seemed to relish the 10 furlongs of Saturday's GI Santa Anita H. as he turned the tables on Express Train (Union Rags) to post a mild 5-1 upset. Even-money invader Maxfield (Street Sense) could only manage third with no obvious excuse. Last seen finishing third as the favorite behind Express Train when trapped behind a slow pace in the Jan. 30 GII San Pasqual S., the bay was kept off the inside and unhurried as he sat second last. Last year's GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay...