Laoban

A filly by fast-starting young sire Laoban (Hip 805) topped Wednesday's open session and the entirety of the OBS Winter Mixed Sale, selling to Nick de Meric, who signed as Sand Hill Stables, for $175,000. Consigned by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, the bay was bred in New York by the late Kenny LeJeune. A colt from the first crop of MGISW Mor Spirit (Eskendereya) (Hip 616) brought the day's second-highest price, hammering for $115,000 to bloodstock agent Donato Lanni. The bay was bred in Florida by Beth Bayer, who consigned...

As we approach the end of the calendar, we turn our attention to the incoming sire class of 2021. We asked several judges who their favorite incoming sire is for next year and if there are any other stallions, new or otherwise, that have caught their eye as under-the-radar picks ADRIAN REGAN, Hunter Valley Farm  War of Will (War Front), $25,000, Claiborne Farm I hate singling just one, but War of Will made a lot of sense for me. I was very impressed with his physical appearance when we went...

Fly On Angel (Palace Malice) (hip 280), winner of the Aug. 28 GIII Charles Town Oaks, topped Tuesday's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic December Mixed Sale when bringing a final bid of $195,000 from Cypress Creek, LLC. The 3-year-old filly was consigned by Northview Stallion Station on behalf of Joseph Besecker, who had claimed her for $50,000 out of a winning effort at Parx Aug. 10. "I had followed this horse for a while after Clovis Crane consigned her and he had tried to get me to buy her as a baby, but...

Keepmeinmind (Laoban) entered Saturday's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. a maiden, but with board finishes in each of his three previous appearances, including two at Grade I level. The bay colt, last for the opening 6 1/2 furlongs, came with a barnstorming finish to graduate in style, earning 10 points towards next year's GI Kentucky Derby in the process. Favored at 2-1, Keepmeinmind was clearly last into stride and was taken in hand by David Cohen, as Smiley Sobotka (Brody's Cause) set the pace at the fence from Oncoming Train...

A winner of her first three career starts, Harold Lerner, Magdalena Racing, and Nehoc Stables' Simply Ravishing (Laoban) found Vequist (Nyquist) too tough in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland, but will attempt to return to the top spot in Saturday's GII Golden Rod S. A debut winner for Ken McPeek going 8 1/2 furlongs over the Saratoga turf Aug. 2, the bay aired by 6 1/2 lengths in an off-turf renewal of the PG Johnson S. Sept. 3. Sent off the 2-1 second choice for the Oct....

This business about sire lines has been driving your correspondent a bit nuts for the past 40 years, dating from when he first came to understand the realm, initially through the discourses of the great analyst Dr. Franco Varola and the estimable author Abe Hewitt. In those days we all not only relied on the historical database of a rather limited number of stallions but also on the patience needed to assess the long-term impact of form, function, and pedigree. You had Phalaris and Swynford, then Nearco and Hyperion, then...

Dr. Mike Cavey and his wife Dr. Nancy Temple have proven the old adage of quality over quantity. At their Respite Farm in Paris, Ky, the couple have been able to do a lot with a little, producing two champions and a Grade II-winning top young sire from a broodmare band of just seven. They will offer four weanlings from their boutique breeding operation at the upcoming Keeneland November Sale. Cavey and Temple hit their first home run with a family they developed for five generations out of the first...

WinStar Farm released its 2021 stud fees Wednesday and leading the roster are Speightstown, who will stand for $90,000 S&N, and leading second-crop sire Constitution, who will stand for $85,000 S&N. WinStar has reduced the stud fees of most of its stallions in recognition of the challenging economic conditions. "During these times, we felt it appropriate to drop 75% of our fees," said Elliott Walden, WinStar's president, CEO, and racing manager. "We gave two horses a bump--Speightstown, the co-leading sire this year with three Grade I winners and fourth general...

Laoban (Uncle Mo--Chattertown, by Speightstown), a son of champion and perennial leading sire Uncle Mo and one of the leaders of his freshman class, is relocating from Sequel Stallions in New York to WinStar Farm for 2021. A limited number of seasons will be offered at $25,000 S&N until the Breeders' Cup. That fee is subject to change pending results in the Breeders' Cup, as Laoban has contenders in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. The leading New York freshman...

The viability of the horse business hinges on a precarious equilibrium. Its values have to work out often enough for the rich guy to keep spending, but not so often that the rest of us have to pack up and go home. Very seldom, however, are both extremes embraced so proximately as by Meg Levy last weekend. On Sunday, the Grade I success of Valiance (Tapit) in the Juddmonte Spinster S. vindicated all the promise, in pedigree and physique, she had evinced as a $650,000 yearling sold through Levy's Bluewater...

One day before saddling $35,000 bargain buy Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) to take on the boys in the GI Preakness S., trainer Ken McPeek was represented by the one-two finishers in Keeneland's GI Darley Alcibiades S. Friday. New York-bred Simply Ravishing (Laoban), just a $50,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling herself, dominated her competition on the front end and ran up the score to 6 1/4 lengths. 'TDN Rising Stars' Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map) and Travel Column (Frosted) fought it out for second and third. This was McPeek's fifth win in the Alcibiades,...

P. G. JOHNSON S., $93,000, Saratoga, 9-3, 2yo, f, 7f (off turf), 1:21.85, ft. 1--SIMPLY RAVISHING, 122, f, 2, by Laoban 1st Dam: Four Wishes, by More Than Ready 2nd Dam: Emilyna, by Valid Wager 3rd Dam: Piano Affect, by Fappiano ($50,000 Ylg '19 FTKOCT). 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Harold Lerner LLC, Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek) & Nehoc Stables; B-Meg Levy (NY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Luis Saez. $55,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $94,600. *First SW for freshman sire (by Uncle Mo). 2--Con Lima, 120, f, 2, Commissioner--Second Street City, by Consolidator. ($15,000...