The Big Beast

A trio of fillies shared the fastest eighth-mile time during Friday's session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. All three, working before a downpour delayed the tail end of the fourth session for about thirty minutes, breezed their eighth in :9.4. Out earliest of the bunch, a Florida-bred daughter of Bucchero (hip 568) consigned by Cruzin' Thoroughbreds LLC, Agent. The filly, an $8,000 yearling buy from the OBS Winter Mixed Sale last year, is a half to MSP Ek Haseena (Songandaprayer), herself the dam...

As we approach the opening of the 2024 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. Today we caught up with Williams S. Sparks of Monroe, Louisiana. Originally from Arkansas where he grew up attending Oaklawn races with his grandfather, Sparks has assembled a band which reflects his philosophy of breeding to race. "I'm really deeply committed to breeding a sound racehorse who is going to do what they do best--run," said...

Ocala Stud has set 2021 stud fees for its roster of 16 stallions for the upcoming breeding season, led by Girvin (Tale of Ekati), whose fee will be $6,000 S&N for his third year at stud. Ocala Stud will welcome new stallions in Grade I-winning millionaires Win Win Win (Hat Trick {Jpn}) and Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}), who will both stand for $5,000 S&N, and also new is the stakes-winning Dak Attack (Ghostzapper), whose fee will be $2,500 S&N. Girvin saw his first foals arrive in 2020. He...

A colt by Lemon Drop Kid and a filly by Majesticperfection turned in the fastest furlong works and fillies by The Big Beast and Liam's Map shared the fastest quarter-mile time during Wednesday's fourth under-tack preview for next week's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Randy Miles sent a son of Lemon Drop Kid (hip 701) out to work a furlong in :9 4/5 Wednesday in Ocala. The gray colt is a half-brother to stakes placed La Dame Blanche (Point of Entry). His unraced dam Adjudication...

10th-Gulfstream, $46,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($25,000), 4-5, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:11.37, ft. UP IN SMOKE (f, 3, The Big Beast--Therese, by Exchange Rate) came from off the pace in her debut to score against fellow Florida breds Feb. 8 before adding another to the win column as the 4-5 choice in an optional claimer at the Hallandale oval Mar. 5. Sent off the even-money choice to remain undefeated here, she was unhurried early as Midtown Rose (Gary D) carved out opening fractions of :22.48 and :45.54. Asked for more by...

After our exhaustive survey of Bluegrass stallions, good manners demand at least a browse through the alternatives available elsewhere in North America. But this must be a very different exercise, and a pretty unsatisfactory one too. The Kentucky market is entirely coherent, with hundreds of stallions clustered within a few miles of each other at fees to suit all budgets. Regional stallions, in contrast, serve regional mares. If you're in Ohio, you're not going to van a mare down to Too Much Bling (Rubiano). If you're in Texas, equally, you...

Alex and JoAnn Lieblong's The Big Beast (Yes It's True) and Embellish the Lace (Super Saver) are both injured and out of contention for the Breeders' Cup, according to trainer Anthony Dutrow. "TDN Rising Star" The Big Beast has what Dutrow calls a minor injury and will be forced to miss an expected start in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. Last term's GI King's Bishop S. hero will return to the races next year with the focus being the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt S. and GI Forego S. at Saratoga,...