Team Valor International

Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) is being targeted at the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan on Friday, January 24, according to Fred Heyman, who was recently named president of Team Valor International. Trained by Jerome Reynier for Team Valor, Facteur Cheval is no stranger to Meydan, having made the breakthrough at the top level when winning the $5-million Dubai Turf back in March. He was last seen filling the runner-up spot in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, pushing the outstanding miler Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})...

Frederic Heyman, a Baltimore-based lawyer, has been named the new President of Team Valor International, the company's CEO Barry Irwin announced Tuesday. Heyman is active in the Mid-Atlantic, having managed the racing and operations of the late Baltimore Orioles' owner Peter Angelos's Marathon Farms. He also sat on the board of Fair Hill training center. Irwin noted that he has no plans to step back or retire. "I plan to spend more time each summer and fall abroad, where we source most of our stock. I want to focus on...

Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl-winning tight end Travis Kelce, along with the Zoldan family, have acquired a significant share of Team Valor International's interest in Gary Barber's Swift Delivery (Not This Time), Team Valor's Barry Irwin announced Tuesday. The Zoldan family have been members of Team Valor's syndicates for nearly four decades, including as partners in 2011 GI Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom. Bruce Zoldan, founder and CEO of Phantom Fireworks, attended this year's Derby along with Ohio native Kelce, who is friends with Zoldan's son, Alex. Irwin said the...

In a massive digital catalogue featuring 2-year-olds, horses of racing age, breeding stock, weanlings, yearlings, and a stallion prospect, the Fasig-Tipton July Digital Sale closed Tuesday evening with 161 horses sold for $4,296,200. The full results are available at Fasig-Tipton's site. "This was our inaugural July Digital Sale and we're thrilled with the results," said Fasig-Tipton's Director of Digital Sales Leif Aaron. "It was a very strong digital sale with record participation from buyers and sellers and a rock-solid 83 percent clearance rate." Graded winner Nadette (Fr) (Outrstrip {GB}) topped...

After knocking on the door so many times--finishing second or third in four Group 1 events in his four most recent starts--Team Valor and Gary Barber's Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}--Jawlaat {Ire}, by Shamardal) got one of his own in an ultra-competitive renewal of the $5-million G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday. Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the Dubai Turf the last three years and seeking an historic four-peat, broke a bit awkwardly, but despite recovering quickly, finished off the board. The U.S. hope Catnip (Kitten's...

Lightly raced but full of heart, Touch'n Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) would not let the filly go in the final yards and bravely got by Elysian Fields (Hard Spun) to prevail by the slimmest of margins, determined by a photo. Last seen finishing fifth in the Kings Plate S. won by familiar face Paramount Prince (Society's Chairman)--where the runner-up here again played bridesmaid--and gone since then, Touch'n Ride was content to track from fifth in a packed field of 14 as the speed went on its way. Cruising along in...

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will host its fifth annual Racing Partnership and Syndicate Night Aug. 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to speak with representatives from 20 partnerships about getting involved in Thoroughbred racehorse ownership. This year's participating partnerships include Team Valor International, West Point Thoroughbreds, Windhorse Thoroughbreds, BBN Racing, Belladonna Racing, Crown's Way Racing, Pocket Aces Racing, Celtic Magic Thoroughbreds, Taste of Victory Stables, Sackatoga Stables, Centennial Farms, Bourbon Lane Stables, Brown Road Racing, Bond Racing Stables, McMahon...

Bet down from a 12-1 morning line to be off at less than half that quote, Team Valor International and Gary Barber's Elysian Field (Hard Spun) stamped her authority on Sunday's Woodbine Oaks--despite some wayward ways in the final eighth of a mile--to give trainer Mark Casse a fourth victory in the first leg of the Canadian Filly Triple Crown and first since Barber's Lexie Lou (Sligo Bay {Ire}) scored in 2014. In partnership with Michael Langlois, Barber also won Sunday's Plate Trial S. with Paramount Prince (Society's Chairman). With...

   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...

G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine La Petite Coco (Ire) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}) will be offered during the Tattersalls December Mares Sale from Nov. 28-Dec. 1. The Paddy Twomey trainee will go through the ring during the elite Sceptre Session on Nov. 29. Also, a winner of the G2 Blandford S. and G3 Give Thanks S., the 4-year-old races in the colours of Team Valor. Bred in Ireland by Bernd and Ute Schone, the filly is out of a half-sister to G1 German Derby winner Laveron (GB) (Konigsstuhl {Ger})....

A lack of competitors doesn't always translate to a lack of competition and the GII Shuvee S. at Saratoga is a case in point, with an abbreviated field of four featuring a pair of titans. Fellow Curlin daughters Clairiere and Malathaat will bring their rivalry to round six in the 1 1/8-mile contest at the Spa; the latter coming out on the better end on four prior occasions. Malathaat will be breaking from the gate sporting blinkers for the first time in her career, likely intended to combat her tendency...

Team Valor International's Green Up romped to an effortless victory in the Boiling Springs S. at Monmouth Park Sunday. The 3-2 shot was under a snug hold while setting fractions of :24.77 and :49.26 in a compact field of four. She skipped clear down the lane to score under wraps. "My thought was just to go to the lead since she looked like the only speed in the race," said winning jockey Paco Lopez. "Todd Pletcher told me to do whatever I felt comfortable doing. She jumped a little at...