Rockingham Ranch

Newgrange To Pass Dubai World Cup

Newgrange (Violence), a head-scratching sixth behind Newgate (Into Mischief) in the GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 3, will bypass the Mar. 30 G1 Dubai World Cup, trainer Phil D'Amato said via text message Wednesday. The decision was finalized after the 5-year-old worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 (13/27) Wednesday morning at Santa Anita. "Newgrange is not going to Dubai," D'Amato texted. "We will regroup and race him stateside down the road." Winner of the GIII Sham S. and GIII Southwest S. for the SF Racing/Starlight/Madaket et. al. partnership while under the...

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Making Waves: Good Things Come In Threes

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Behind Enemy Lines (GB) (Sioux Nation) in the Cutler Bay S. at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. Sioux Nation Colt Makes The Cut At Gulfstream Rockingham Ranch, Talla Racing, LLC and David Bernsen's Behind Enemy Lines (GB) (Sioux Nation) ran like a 1-9 favourite should to give his Coolmore sire his fifth stakes winner and first Stateside in the Cutler Bay S. at Gulfstream...

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Mr. Big Filly Tops 'Solid' Fasig-Tipton California Sale

by Dan Ross & Jessica Martini POMONA, CA - The Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings and Horses of Racing Age Sale, held Tuesday at Fairplex in Pomona, produced 14 six-figure lots, led by a filly by Mr. Big who sold for $250,000 to Todd Tomazic. Numbers declined from last year's lively renewal of the auction, with 205 head grossing $6,257,100 and the average falling 22% to $30,522 and the median dipping 15% to $17,000. The buy-back rate was 25.7%. It was 24.4% in 2021. "It was a very solid session," Fasig-Tipton...

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Smooth Like Strait 'On Top of His Game,' Seeking Shoemaker Repeat

Cannon Thoroughbreds' Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute) will attempt to defend his title in the GI Shoemaker Mile--a Win and You're In event for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile--when he faces five rivals in the Santa Anita contest Monday. The 5-year-old, the 4-5 morning-line favorite, was runner-up in four graded events following last year's Shoemaker, setting the pace before getting past late by Space Blues in the Nov. 6 GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Making his 2022 debut, he set the pace before ending up third in a blanket finish in...

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Kalypso Looks to Double Up in Las Virgenes

David Bernsen, LLC and Rockingham Ranch's Kalypso (Brody's Cause) will look for a second straight score when she goes postward against four foes in the one-mile GIII Las Virgenes S. at Santa Anita Saturday. The chestnut filly won the six-furlong Anoakia S. in Arcadia last October and was second when stretched to 1 1/16 miles in the Dec. 5 GI Starlet S. at Los Alamitos. Cut back to seven furlongs, the Bob Baffert trainee scored by 1 3/4 lengths in the Jan. 3 GII Santa Ynez S. Richard Mandella sends...

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Kalypso a Revelation in Santa Ynez

David Bernsen, Rockingham Ranch and Chad Littlefield's Kalypso (Brody's Cause), the 4-5 favorite, strode home an easy winner of the GII Santa Ynez S. at Santa Anita Sunday, becoming the second graded winner from the first crop of her Grade I-winning sire. Cutting back to seven furlongs following a runner-up effort behind her Santa Ynez-scratched stablemate Varda (Distorted Humor) in the 1 1/16-mile GI Starlet S. last month, the chestnut filly broke sharply and had the advantage in the early strides. But she was soon joined by Brilliant Cut (Speightstown)...

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Surrender Now New Topper–Privately–of Keeneland's Digital Sale

Keeneland's December Digital Sale, held Tuesday, Dec. 15, reportedly has a new topper, but with a wrinkle attached--Surrender Now (Morning Line) was sold after the sale for an undisclosed price. Kim Lloyd, representative for the 5-year-old stakes-winning mare's owner, Rockingham Ranch, said the buyer, Blue Heaven Farm, requested the final price remain private. "We put her in for a reserve of $450,000," said Lloyd. "They made an offer and we got a fair price for both sides, actually." Lloyd was asked to verify if the price topped the $250,000 brought...

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Brody's Cause Filly Graduates in Anoakia

Kalypso broke her maiden in stakes company with a front-running score in the Anoakia S. Sunday at Santa Anita. The chestnut filly strode out to the early lead and was in hand through a quarter in :22.17 and a half :45.14. Three lengths in front with furlong to run, Kalypso was never threatened and sailed under the wire 2 1/4 lengths in front to become the second black-type winner for her freshman sire (by Giant's Causeway). "When you ride for Bob [Baffert], he just says, 'Break well and play the...

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Two-Time Champion Sprinter Roy H Retired

Roy H (More Than Ready), champion sprinter of 2017 and 2018, has been retired at age eight, trainer Peter Miller said in a statement Thursday. "It is with some sadness but also great joy that we announce the retirement of Roy H from racing," Miller said. "What can you say about a horse like this who has given us so many thrilling moments? He is the embodiment of class and we will definitely miss seeing him compete. Fortunately, we will not have to miss him for long as he will...

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Cox Refuses to Take Rockingham Ranch Horses

Following a tweet from Rockingham Ranch owner Gary Hartunian that he was sending the horses he had with Jorge Navarro to trainer Brad Cox, Cox told the TDN that he would not be accepting the horses. "It's not true," Cox said of Hartunians's tweet. "After everything that has been going on the last day and a half, I don't feel comfortable accepting any of the horses that are involved in this situation." Cox's statement came after Hartunian tweeted the following Tuesday morning: "All of my horses with Jorge are being...

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