Special Me

Special Me has been the gift that keeps on giving for breeders Carrie and Craig Brogden and Dr. Sandra Fubini of Machmer Hall. Now that the outstanding broodmare is 18 years old, you'd think that her best days are behind her. But with a Grade I winner competing at the top level of the filly and mare turf division this year and an impressive fleet of well-bred, unraced progeny in the pipeline, the mare's fairytale story just keeps getting better. Carrie Brogden famously purchased Special Me, a Maryland-bred daughter of...

Probably you know Carrie Brogden. The way her ideas, opinions, memories, emotions come tumbling out, one on top of the other. And how even after a few minutes she will have shared way too much of this torrent of vitality for the narrow channel of paragraphs that follows here. Except you don't know Carrie Brogden. For instance, did you know that she's only here because of Einstein? Seriously. We'll come to that, and to the Beanie Babies, too, who have a more immediate role in her story. But how are...

LEXINGTON, KY--The market remained competitive as Book 3 of the Keeneland November Sale closed its two-day run Friday with a frenzy of activity towards the end of the session. After a slow, but steady beginning to the day, Spritz (Awesome Again) (Hip 1747) commanded everyone's attention deep into the session, topping the day's action at $550,000 from Gary Holland's Kamden Racing. She is carrying her first foal by Quality Road. The day's co-second-highest priced offering came just six hips later when the Brogdens fended off all comers for a mare...

Trainer Chad Brown and owner Peter Brant were represented by the 1-2 finishers in last week's GI First Lady S. at Keeneland, and were right back at it again in Lexington Saturday as Gina Romantica (Into Mischief) scored a breakthrough win in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. Presented by Dixiana. The $1,025,000 KEESEP yearling was the only runner in the race carrying Brant's silks, but Brown completed the exacta himself with Klaravich Stables, Inc.'s odds-on GISW McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}). It was a record fifth win for...

With the 2022 breeding season right around the corner, we will feature a series of breeders' mating plans over the coming weeks. Today Carrie Brogden discuses mating plans for a few members of the 109-mare-strong Machmer Hall broodmare band. TIZ DIXIE (m, 9, Tiznow -- Comeon Dixie, by Mr. Greeley), to be bred to Constitution We bought this 9-year-old mare as a maiden for Golden Pedigree for $5,500 and we subsequently did the mating and then foaled and raised her first foal, a colt by Constitution who became stakes winner...