Spendthrift Farm

We're still in the early part of the season where the rankings are largely based on juvenile form and a hefty dose of speculation. As we segue into February, the forecast calls for "frost heaves" that will likely shift the balance of power just enough to keep things interesting. But at 15 weeks out, everyone on the GI Kentucky Derby trail is still allowed to dream big. 1) ARABIAN KNIGHT (c, Uncle Mo--Borealis Night, by Astrology) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Corser Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales...

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. Andrew Cary of Cary Bloodstock, advisor to Coteau Grove Farms, took time to discuss which sires they have chosen for some of their top mares. ARTISTIC DIVA (m, 8, Munnings-Diva N Disguise, by Mizzen Mast), booked to Not This Time Artistic Diva was brilliantly fast, winning the Anoakia S. at Santa Anita as a 2-year-old. She...

Basin (Liam's Map), winner of the GI Hopeful S., was represented by his first foal Jan. 17 when a filly was born at Hardin Farm in Paris, KY. Bred by Patrick Crowley, the dark bay filly is the first foal out of the Honor Code mare Dressed Up. Campaigned by Jackpot Farm, Basin broke his maiden at Saratoga before going on to score a runaway 6 1/2-length victory in the meet's premier race for 2-year-old colts--the Hopeful S. As a 3-year-old, Basin began the year on the Kentucky Derby trail,...

8th-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 1-14, 3yo, 1m, 1:39.18, ft, 1 3/4 lengths. KINGSBARNS (c, 3, Uncle Mo--Lady Tapit {GSP}, by Tapit), an $800,000 2-year-old purchase by Spendthrift Farm out of the Gulfstream Sale last year, rewarded his backers as the 3-1 favorite in his debut start. Fourth in the early going while racing a path off the rail, Kingsbarns began to inch up into the far turn and found racing room between rivals as the top trio straightened into the lane. Game Warden (Tapit) closed with a run to be second...

Spendthrift Farm's Grade I winner Yaupon (Uncle Mo) sired a colt, his first reported foal, on Jan. 13 at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, New York. Bred by Rockridge Stud, Saratoga Glen Farm and Pete Beals, the dark bay is out of MSW Frost Giant mare Frostie Anne, an earner of $584,443. "This colt is good sized, born at around 122 pounds. He's very balanced and correct, and you can tell he's going to have a big hip," said Lere Visagie, owner of Rockridge Stud. "I've had three foals out of...

5th-GP, $84k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 2:09 p.m. ET Missourians Robert and Lawana Low purchased SGT. PEPPER (Uncle Mo) for $1.6 million at the 2021 FTSAUG sale. Bred by Bobby Flay Thoroughbreds, he will make his debut sprinting on the dirt with Lasix in South Florida for the Todd Pletcher barn. Sgt. Pepper, the 5-2 morning-line favorite, is a half-brother to GSW Spice Is Nice (Curlin), who fetched $1.05 million from these same connections at the 2018 KEESEP sale. Sgt. Pepper's dam Dame Dorothy (Bernardini), owned and campaigned by Bobby Flay,...

The 2021 GI Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) was represented by his first reported foal Jan. 9 when a filly was born at Diana Shoop's Gemstone Farm in Lexington. The bay lass is the first foal out of her winning dam, Mrs. O'Connell (American Pharoah), and was bred by Mark and Allison Menscer's Post Rock Farm. "We are thrilled with the filly," said Mark Menscer. "She looks like Rock Your World. He stamped her out. She has tremendous bone and a lot of substance. We...

GI Florida Derby winner Known Agenda (Curlin) was represented by his first foal Jan. 7. The filly was born at Glendalough Farm in Lexington and was bred by Phillips Farm LLC out of Sunandsea (Henny Hughes). "We are just overjoyed with this filly," said Phillips Farm's Joshua Phillips. "She's exceptionally well-muscled, has a nice hip and a lot of leg underneath her. Just a physically strong individual like the good Curlins. We looked at a lot of different stallions for this mare and Known Agenda stamped this filly beautifully." Known...

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. Here's what Edwin Anthony of Shortleaf Stable had to say about their broodmare band for 2023. I subscribe to the same school of thought as pedigree gurus like Ken McLean, Alan Porter and Anne Peters when it comes to trying to concentrate the influence of the most effective foundation mares and families. My first job in...

When Amy Bunt and John Barton teamed up to present their first consignment as Baldwin Bloodstock at the 2021 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, Barton was still based in Southern California and making a living underwriting auto loans. Two years on, Barton has made the transition full-time to the Bluegrass and Baldwin Bloodstock is set to present six horses in its third January consignment. While earning a living in the industry might have been a new experience when he joined forces with Bunt two years ago, Barton was...

The first week of January doesn't have much in common with the first Saturday in May--with the exception that the inaugural TDN Top 12 has arrived to herald the coming of the seemingly far-off GI Kentucky Derby season. Get tied on and enjoy the ride. 1) ARABIAN KNIGHT (c, Uncle Mo--Borealis Night, by Astrology) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Corser Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $250,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $2,300,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $86,025. Last start: 1st Keeneland Maiden Special Weight, Nov. 5....

On the first page of the New Year, Brad Cox bolded his claim in the race for spots on the Kentucky Derby-points leaderboard when his undefeated colt Victory Formation cruised home the easiest of winners in the Smart Jones S. to pick up ten of them, while his stablemate Angel of Empire gave their shared conditioner the exacta. Christened a 'TDN Rising Star' after he stylishly devastated a deep Keeneland maiden field Oct. 21 last year by over four lengths, the good-looking son of Tapwrit showed he had heart to...