Life Is Good

As we approach the opening of the 2023 breeding sheds, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why. The China Horse Club's Christie DeBernardis, Matt Houldsworth and Michael Smith clued us in on which sires they have chosen for some of their top American and European mares. ALBEROBELLO (m, 8, Bernardini—Carson Jen, by Carson City), booked to Justify Alberobello hails from a very deep family that is constantly improving. Her full-sister's daughter Key to...

As we approach the opening of the 2023 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. Today we caught up with Robert Tillyer, farm manager of William and Donna Shively's Dixiana Farm. HAVANA DREAM (m, 10, Quality Road - Mayo On the Side, by French Deputy) to be bred to Constitution This stakes-placed mare is carrying her third foal by Yaupon. She is from the family of MGSW Midcourt (Midnight Lute) and...

With the Breeders' Cup returning to Lexington for the third time, headlined by the mighty Flightline (Tapit), the buzz in Lexington was electric from late October all the way through the nearly two weeks of breeding stock sales that followed the World Championships. Combine that with a deep and diverse buying bench and high demand and the result was gains in both gross and average for the 10-day Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, which ran from Nov. 7-16. "With the close of the November Breeding Stock Sale, Keeneland is nearing...

They could have entered him in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile or the Sprint, where he would have been a top choice in either spot, but the connections of Life Is Good (Into Mischief - Beach Walk, by Distorted Humor) opted to send their versatile 4-year-old to the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. While there was no beating Flightline (Tapit) that day, Life Is Good threw it down with his undefeated competitor, forcing Flightline to chase him through blazing early fractions of :22.55 and :45.47. The Classic marked only his...

LEXINGTON, KY - You can add horse of a lifetime to the superlatives now, too. Unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) ran to his already unworldly reputation, and, dare we say, even more, with a spectacular 8 1/4-length victory in Saturday's $6-million GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland. Olympiad (Speightstown) and fellow 'Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) filled out the minors. "A great win today. He just ran beautiful; just like we thought he could," said winning trainer John Sadler, who previously put to bed an 0-for-44 mark at the...

LEXINGTON, KY - DL689 wasn't the only flight taking off shortly after 6:00 a.m. in Lexington on a brisk Wednesday morning. Just as that Atlanta-bound, Delta aircraft loudly announced its presence across the way at Blue Grass Airport--you really couldn't have scripted it any better--unbeaten superstar Flightline (Tapit) was one of the first horses to train as the Keeneland main track opened for business beneath the lights. Under a snug hold and plenty eager to do more, the 3-5 GI Breeders' Cup Classic morning-line favorite was every bit as advertised,...

Unbeaten sensation and guaranteed GI Breeders' Cup Classic favorite Flightline (Tapit) put in his final prep for the World Championships at Keeneland Saturday. The 'TDN Rising Star' covered five furlongs solo in 1:00.60 (4/62) shortly after 7:30 a.m. under assistant trainer Juan Leyva. "I told Juan to go in a minute and change and out [seven-eighths] in 1:26, and that's what he did," trainer John Sadler said. "Juan's a great work rider. It was not about going fast today, just getting around there happy today." Flightline arrived at Keeneland Sunday...

With unbeaten sensation Flightline (Tapit) leading the way, 205 horses, including 45 from overseas, and seven former or returning Breeders' Cup champions, have been pre-entered for the 39th Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland Nov. 4 & 5. The Breeders' Cup will be televised live domestically on NBC, Peacock, USA Network, and FanDuel TV. Click here to view all of the 2022 Breeders' Cup World Championships Pre-Entered Fields. Nine horses were pre-entered for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. In addition to the record-setting GI Pacific Classic winner Flightline, the $6-million...

A day after working many of his 2-year-olds expected for the Future Stars Friday races during the Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov 4. at Keeneland, trainer Todd Pletcher breezed his older horses Friday. The trio, led by MGISW Life Is Good (Into Mischief), champion Malathaat (Curlin), and MGISW winner Nest (Curlin), are expected to compete in the Breeders' Cup Nov. 5. Shortly after 9 am, CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm's GI Breeders' Cup Classic candidate Life Is Good breezed five furlongs on a fast track in 1:00.40 for his first...

With Constitution leading the way at $110,000, WinStar Farm has released the 2023 stud fees for its stallion roster. Constitution, the sire of eight individual runners who have earned 100+ Beyers in 2022, has been represented this year by GIII Peter Pan S. winner 'TDN Rising Star' We the People, GIII Distaff H. winner Glass Ceiling, GIII Greenwood Cup S. winner Ridin With Biden and GIII San Juan Capistrano S. winner Breakpoint (Chi). He was also responsible for a pair of seven-figure yearlings at the Keeneland September sale. Constitution stood...

While life may provide only a handful of certainties, trainer Todd Pletcher showing up with a powerful battalion of runners on Breeders' Cup Day can be counted on to be one of them. The 2022 renewal of the World Championships, slated for Nov. 4-5 at Keeneland, is shaping up to be no different. Since the beginning of the month, the Hall of Famer has annexed seven Grade I or Grade II races, highlighted by Life Is Good (Into Mischief), winner of the Oct. 1 GI Woodward S. Undefeated in four...

The 2-year-old gelding Tyler's Tribe (Sharp Azteca) is the fastest horse in Iowa--maybe the fastest horse ever to come out of the Hawkeye State--and has won his five career starters by a combined 59 3/4 lengths. But does that make him good enough to win a Breeders' Cup race? The Green Group Guest of the Week on this week's TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland was his co-owner and trainer Tim Martin, and when the big event rolls around, he'll be going into the race with confidence. "For me, it's...