Speedway Stables

Tuned for a big debut performance and well-supported by the betting public at 30 cents on the dollar, it was Cipriani (Bernardini--Salamera, by Successful Appeal) who had DeLorean-like flames behind her as she blazed a trail home to graduate at the 'Great Race Place' on Sunday afternoon. The $875,000 OBS grad, who was taken home in March by Speedway as the fifth highest return through the ring, showed interest early, but was not quite quick enough as a longshot and American Blessing (American Pharoah) tussled for the lead up the...

1st-Santa Anita, $54,000, Msw, 4-21, 3, 4,/5yo, f/m, 7f, 1:23.90, ft, neck. JANE AUSTEN (f, 3, Tapit--Shayjolie {SW & MGSP, $415,843}, by Indian Charlie), sent off at 5-1 for this unveiling, broke well and was eased back but she eagerly tugged her way up upon the heels of pacesetters Quick Brown Fox (Justify) and Queen of Naples (Hard Spun) through a :22.58 quarter. Requiring racing room and finding it turning for home, Jane Austen closed on the stubborn leader late and forged past Quick Brown Fox to graduate by a...

by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm OCALA, FL - The action picked up noticeably during the second session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and, with the auction's first seven-figure offering leading the way, figures concluded above 2023 levels Wednesday evening. "It was an excellent day," OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski said at the close of business Wednesday. "As I said yesterday, there are plenty of good horses left to be sold and obviously that was borne out today. Quality horses sell well...

6th-Santa Anita, $65,500, Msw, 3-23, 3, 4,/5yo, f/m, 6f, 1:11.59, ft, 3 lengths. IN THEORY (f, 3, Mendelssohn--Lady Hansen {SP}, by Hansen) was sent right out for the early lead under Juan Hernandez and took control from She's No Angel (Street Sense) through a :21.89 opening quarter. As that rival faded, the 1-2 favorite pulled away handily and turned for home alone on the lead, cruising under a hand ride to win under wraps by three lengths over Queen of Naples (Hard Spun). An $800,000 2-year-old buy out of the...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - With a $1-million Authentic colt early in the session and a $1.8-million Win Win Win filly late in the day, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds matched its 2023 number of five seven-figure juveniles and the auction concluded its three-day run Thursday with another strong renewal. "Overall, it was a terrific sale and we are looking forward to April," said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. Through three sessions, 446 horses sold for $66,437,600. The average of $148,963...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - With a pair of colts topping the seven-figure mark, the tempo picked up during the second session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Wednesday. With 144 horses sold Wednesday for $25,488,000, the session average was $177,000--up 6.2% from last year's corresponding session--and the median of $87,500 declined 2.8% from a year ago. The buy-back rate was 31.8%. "I thought it was a very good session," said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. "It felt like...

TIMONIUM, MD - The opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale got off to a tepid start at the Maryland State Fairgrounds Monday morning, but momentum built throughout a session which ultimately produced figures ahead of the auction's record-setting 2022 renewal. "It was a strong start to the sale," Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. said at the close of business Monday. "There was significant increase in average price compared to the first day and the overall sale last year. It was certainly an acceptable...

A filly by Mendelssohn (hip 245) brought a final bid of $800,000 from Peter Fluor of Speedway Stables during Monday's first session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. The gray, who is out of stakes-placed Lady Hansen (Hansen), was consigned by Paul Sharp. Sharp purchased the filly as part of his pinhooking partnership with Liz Crow for $125,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. It was the second big purchase of the afternoon for Speedway, which also went to $500,000 to acquire a colt by Not This...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training completed its four-day run Friday with a  new record gross and average and a record-tying median in an auction which closely mirrored the 2022 renewal which set high-water marks for all of those metrics. Through four sessions, 698 horses grossed $90,805,000. A year ago, 705 horses grossed a record $90,723,000. The 2023 average of $129,907 was up fractionally from $128,685. The median remained unchanged at $65,000. "It was a great...

On an action-packed stakes weekend, insights were relatively light, featuring an upset of perennial 2-year-old powerhouse Wesley Ward in the Keeneland meet opener Friday and the unveiling of a $1.25-million purchase on the Aqueduct turf Saturday. Friday's Insights: Laoban Full-Sister Debuts at Keeneland 1st-Keeneland, $60,904, Msw, 4-8, 2yo, 4 1/2f, :53.16, ft, 5 lengths. The annual tradition of Wesley Ward dominating Keeneland's April 2-year-old races early and often was immediately interrupted by emerging California juvenile trainer Luis Mendez--starting his first-ever horse at Keeneland--and Flavien Prat thanks to five-length winner KING...

Demand remained high as the Book 4 section of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale concluded with a daughter of first-crop sire Collected leading home a top one-two-three finish for Ontario-breds when selling for a session-topping $320,000 to Speedway Stables. Bloodstock agent Marette Farrell made the winning bid on behalf of Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner's operation and the yearling was bred and consigned by Dave Anderson's Anderson Farms. "It's the greatest market I've ever seen in my lifetime," Anderson said of the September sale. "I have never been so busy...

Carrie Brogden wasn't planning on purchasing many pinhook prospects for Machmer Hall at last year's Keeneland November Sale. She was busy inspecting the stock on her clients' shopping lists, plus her farm already had a plethora of weanlings back home that would need to be prepped come summertime. But on the fourth day of the sale, a colt entered the ring that she couldn't pass up. The February-foaled weanling came from the James B. Keogh consignment and was a son of first-crop weanling sire Collected (City Zip-Helena Bay (GB), by...