Ocala Stud

Fast-starting freshman sire Girvin (Tale of Ekati--Catch the Moon, by Malibu Moon) will relocate to Airdrie Stud for the 2023 breeding season. The 8-year-old stallion, who began his stud career at the O'Farrell family's Ocala Stud, is already the sire of 12 winners from 23 starters, including the GII Saratoga Special S. winner Damon's Mound and Astoria S. winner Devious Dame. Girvin, who raced in the silks of Brad Grady for trainer Joe Sharp, won the 2017 GI Betfair.com Haskell Invitational, as well as that year's GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby...

The Jockey Club has elected six new members: Len Coleman, who served alongside Dr. Nancy Cox as co-chair of the blue-ribbon nominating committee that was formed to select members of the board of directors and standing committees of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA); Dr. Nancy Cox, in addition to her aforementioned role, Cox is the vice president for Land Grant Engagement and the dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the University of Kentucky (UK). Also elected were Marc Holliday, who was elected chairman of...

In 1993, Michelle Lovell rode five races at Saratoga. Then known as jockey Michelle Hanley, she came home with three second-place finishes, but never got that win at the Spa. Twenty-nine years later, she finally made it to the winner's circle. This time it was with the brilliant GII Saratoga Special S. winner Damon's Mound (Girvin), her first Saratoga starter as a trainer. How do the two experiences compare? "Riding here back in the day, I was just super in awe of the place," Lovell explained. "Obviously who wouldn't want...

Damon's Mound (Girvin) has the feel of an inspiring story for our sport, as the David who landed his slingshot squarely on the forehead of Goliath in the keynote juvenile showdown of the summer. The family that bred his first five dams had turned down big money for their spectacular Churchill debut winner, and their fidelity to minor-league trainer Michelle Lovell (16 winners from 88 starters in 2022) paid off handsomely when Damon's Mound readily beat the vaunted Gulfport (Uncle Mo), who has already been reserved a slot in the...

John Oxley's Devious Dame (Girvin) ooked to be making hard work of it while consigned to an imperfect trip in Thursday's $150,000 Astoria S. at Belmont Park, but the 2-5 favorite on the strength of a 5 1/2-length debut success on Churchill debut May 5 leveled off nicely when asked to claim pacesetting Alexis's Storm (Race Day) passing the eighth pole and glided clear to become the first black-type winner for her freshman sire (by Tale of Ekati). Away only fairly from the five hole, the $240,000 OBS March breezer...

The under-tack show for next week's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June 2-Year-Olds Sale entered its second half Thursday with 12 juveniles sharing the fastest furlong time of :10 flat, while three horses shared the day's fastest quarter-mile time of :21 2/5. Ocala Stud sent out a homebred filly by Uncaptured to work the quarter-mile in :21 2/5 during the first set Thursday. The bay is out of Brown Glaze (War Front) and is a full-sister to graded placed Bet On Mookie. A colt by Blame (hip 687) consigned by Britton...

A filly by Adios Charlie earned the bullet for the fastest quarter-mile breeze during Monday's opening session of the under-tack show ahead of next week's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June 2-Year-Olds Sale. Bred and consigned by Ocala Stud, hip 116 completed her quarter-mile drill in :21 flat shortly after the show started Monday morning. The bay filly is out stakes placed Miss Melinda (Malibu Moon). Nine juveniles shared the fastest furlong time of :10 flat: a colt by Astern (Aus) (hip 2, video), consigned by Fast Horses; a colt by...

Ocala Stud-based Awesome Slew was represented by his winner at Gulfstream when Awesome Strong romped in his unveiling. Dispatched as the slight second choice at 7-5, Awesome Strong was away without incident from the rail and settled in third through a snappy :21.79 opening quarter. Taking control entering the far turn, the bay rolled clear in the lane to graduate in style by six lengths. Don't Answer (Uncaptured) was the runner-up. The winner is a half to Bad Debt (Grand Reward), MSW & MGSP, $838,330. Pleasant Ring has not produced...

2nd-Churchill Downs, $71,943, Msw, 5-5, 2yo, f, 5f, :58.09, ft, 5 1/2 lengths. DEVIOUS DAME (f, 2, Girvin--The Shady Lady, by Quality Road) was sent off the 21-10 second choice just a handful of weeks after fetching $240,000 at the OBS March and became the first winner for her freshman sire (by Tale of Ekati) with a powerful 5 1/2-length debut success Thursday at Churchill Downs. The Florida-bred jumped away well and showed good early speed, but favored Empire of My Own (Classic Empire), herself a $170,000 OBSMAR purchase, speared...

By Christie DeBernardis & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL--The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's grounds continued to buzz with activity during a second straight day of very strong trade as the March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale concluded Wednesday. Bidding was fast and furious right from the start with the top horse of the day--and the sale as a whole--coming in the second juvenile through the ring, Hip 318, a colt by More Than Ready, who summoned $1.2 million from Kaleem Shah. A daughter of American Pharoah (Hip 532) also achieved seven figures...

The under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, twice delayed by weather, concluded Sunday in Central Florida with six juveniles sharing the fastest furlong time of :9 4/5 and three equaling the day's fastest quarter-mile time of :20 4/5. The under-tack show opened as scheduled last Thursday morning, but the day's final set was pushed back by severe thunder storms in the area. The show's final session had been set for Saturday, but more bad weather caused sales officials to push the session...

Ocala Stud's Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}--Seeking the Title, by Seeking the Gold) was represented by his first reported foal Jan. 29 when a filly was produced by eight-time winner Making Havoc (Gottcha Gold) at Ocala Stud. The bay filly was also bred by Ocala Stud. First-year sire Seeking the Soul, a homebred for Charles Fipke, won or placed in 11 black-type events during his five-year racing career. His victories included the 2017 GI Clark H., while his runner-up finishes included the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and the...