Life Is Good

As we approach the opening of the 2024 breeding season, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why. Here we catch up with Larry Johnson, the owner of Legacy Farm in Bluemont, Virginia. "I'm trying to go from primarily breed-to-race to more commercial opportunities," said Johnson. A GREAT TIME (10, Street Magician - Short Time, by Clever Trick) to be bred to Constitution A homebred stakes winner of nearly $250,000 by my homebred stallion...

WinStar Farm's Life Is Good (Into Mischief--Beach Walk, by Distorted Humor) was represented by his first foal when graded-stakes placed Shesa Mystery (Verazano) produced a filly Saturday night at Brookstone Farm in Paris, Kentucky. The filly, whose dam finished second in the 2021 GIII Iowa Oaks, was bred by Wimberley Bloodstock and BWW Bloodstock. Wimberley Bloodstock acquired Shesa Mystery in foal to Life Is Good for $285,000 at the 2023 Keeneland November Sale. "She's a great first foal with quality, bone, and strength," said Archie St. George of Brookstone Farm....

Today we conclude our survey of Kentucky stallion options with a look at the apex of the pyramid, comprising a couple of dozen standing between $60,000 and $250,000--besides whatever it might take to secure your mare an audience with Justify. It feels presumptuous enough to offer counsel even on cheaper sires, when each mating should boil down to you finding an optimal fit for an individual mare that you know inside out. Still greater hesitation, then, must precede any attempt to discover "value" among this lot. No stallion has any...

A season with a 2025 breed back to Cody's Wish (Curlin) has been added to the Thoroughbred Charities of America's (TCA) Live Auction and Celebration scheduled to run Sunday, Jan. 7, with the majority of the proceeds going to support the local chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, announced the TCA Saturday. The offering was donated by Godolphin in memory of Cody Dorman, the 17-year-old Kentuckian whose story and special connection with his namesake was widely beloved in and outside the industry. Any remaining proceeds will go to honoring his memory...

WinStar Farm will host an Open House for breeders from Sunday, Jan. 7 through Thursday, Jan. 11, between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET. each day, the farm said in a release Friday. The open houses will be held at the farm's stallion complex on Paynes Mill Road in Versailles, Kentucky. Visitors are welcome without an appointment to view the WinStar roster for the 2024 season, led by Constitution ($110,000 S&N) and Life Is Good ($85,000 S&N). Breeders will also be able to see WinStar's newest additions for 2024: Country...

The Mt. Brilliant Family Foundation has signed on once again as the presenting sponsor for the Thoroughbred Charities of America's upcoming 34th Annual Stallion Season Auction to be held Wednesday, Jan. 3 through Sunday, Jan. 7, the non-profit said in a release Friday. "We greatly appreciate the continued support of Mt. Brilliant," said Erin Halliwell executive director of TCA. "The Stallion Season Auction is vital to our organization as it allows us to make grants to qualified organizations across the country. Mt. Brilliant's support of the auction and TCA are...

WinStar Farm will host an Open House for breeders each day from Nov. 8-15 between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the farm's stallion complex on Paynes Mill Road in Versailles. Visitors are welcome without an appointment to view the WinStar roster for the 2024 breeding season, led by Constitution (Tapit) and Life Is Good (Into Mischief). Breeders will also be able to see WinStar's newest additions for 2024: Country Grammar (Tonalist) and Two Phil's (Hard Spun). The events will also include lite fare and refreshments for breeders in attendance....

8th-Keeneland, $100,000, Msw, 10-26, 2yo, 7f, 1:28.82, ft, 4 lengths. ROCKETEER (c, 2, Curlin--Thirteen Arrows {MSW, $277,375}, by Indian Charlie) went off at 3-1 in this debut spot and was forwardly placed just off pacesetting World Fair (Tapiture). The top pair moved through opening fractions of :22.97 and :46.63 before Rocketeer made his run to strike the front with an outside move passing the quarter pole. The class of the field in the run to the wire, the Brad Cox trainee cruised home to win by four lengths over 25-1...

Constitution (Tapit), the leading sire of 2-year-olds of 2023 whose progeny were highly coveted at auction this summer, will stand the 2024 breeding season for $110,000, stands-and-nurses terms, at WinStar Farm. The 12-year-old is responsible for no fewer than 18 juvenile winners this season, led by Aspenite, impressive winner of the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile last month. The sire's current crop of yearlings proved extremely popular at the recently concluded Keeneland September Sale, with five horses sold in excess of $750,000, including a colt out of Solo Uno (Medaglia d'Oro),...

When Life Is Good was good, he was really, really good. A sight to behold in full flight, the 2021 Dirt Mile winner inspired breeders to send him a first book containing 25 Grade I winners and/or producers, as well as 70 graded winners and/or producers. Life Is Good's first foals will arrive in 2024. "We are extremely excited for Life Is Good's foals coming next year," said Elliott Walden, WinStar Farm's president/CEO and racing manager. "We have never had a stallion that was so well received." Life Is Good...

Americans were among those honored Mar. 4 at the sixth edition of HH Sheikh Mohammed Horse Racing Excellence Awards at Meydan Racecourse. The ceremony commemorates some of the leading connections who participated at the Dubai World Cup meeting, as well as a pair that were decided by public vote. "The HH Sheikh Mohammed Horse Racing Excellence Awards were founded in 2017 as an expression of His Highness' love for racing and passion for horses," said Major General Dr Mohammed Essa Al Adhab, General Manager of Dubai Racing Club. "They recognize...

Breeders' Cup winner Life Is Good (Into Mischief) and Keeneland track record-setter Nashville (Speightstown), both 'TDN Rising Stars' and first-year stallions at WinStar Farm, have each had their first mares confirmed in foal, according to WinStar. Four-time Grade I winner Life Is Good has multiple mares confirmed in foal, including graded winner Tiz Breathtaking (Tiznow) and Tapas (Tapit), an unraced mare acquired for $1.3 million by CHC Inc. at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton sale. Nashville also has multiple mares scanned in foal. Undefeated in his first three starts, Nashville set a...