Vekoma

Authentic (Into Mischief), winner of the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic; 'TDN Rising Star' Improbable (City Zip), a dual Grade I winner and runner-up in the Classic; and Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), who capped a four-for-four season with a second victory in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, are the finalists for 2020 Horse of the Year as Eclipse Award finalists were announced Saturday on TVG. Authentic is one of three individual Eclipse finalists in four separate categories for the all-conquering Into Mischief, whose daughter Gamine was...

Welcome to our annual survey of covering options in Kentucky for the forthcoming breeding season. As usual, we'll start with the rookies and work our way through the preceding intakes, before trying to eke out some value among the more established stallions. A wholly subjective exercise, clearly--so apologies if your fellow doesn't make our "value podium." Every farm is understandably sensitive about the reputation of its stallions, for whom opportunity can be so fleeting and about whom fashions can swell or fade on the flimsiest grounds. We'll do our best...

Multiple Grade I-winning millionaire Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}--Mona de Momma, by Speightstown) has been retired from racing and arrived at B. Wayne Hughes' Spendthrift Farm where the 4-year-old will take up stud duty in 2021. His fee has been set at $20,000 S&N. This year's impressive winner of the GI Carter H. and GI Runhappy Metropolitan H., Vekoma was scratched as the morning-line favorite in Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint after spiking a fever upon arrival at Keeneland. He will be given a few days to settle in at Spendthrift...

Dual 2020 Grade I winner Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}), the heavy favorite for Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, has been scratched from the race after spiking a fever, it was announced early Wednesday morning by trainer George Weaver. "Last night, the horse spiked a fever on us," Weaver told TVG, "and we needed to treat him with the doctor last night and he just wasn't fit to go train today. Being this close to a race, he's not fit to run either so we're not going to be able to...

Spendthrift Farm announced Tuesday the reduction of stud fees for most of its current roster of stallions set to stand at the Lexington-based farm in 2021. Leading sire Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday) heads the roster at a previously announced fee of $225,000 S&N. Booked full, he represents the only stallion with an increased fee in 2021. Top sire Malibu Moon (A.P. Indy) and second-season sire Omaha Beach will both stand for $35,000 S&N. Malibu Moon stood for $60,000, while Omaha Beach stood for $45,000 in 2020. Fellow second-season sire Vino...

After missing an intended start in the GI Forego S. at Saratoga in late August with a foot abscess, the talented Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) is training up to next month's Breeders' Cup at Keeneland. The chestnut punched his ticket(s) to Lexington with eye-catching victories at Belmont Park in the 'Win and You're In' GI Runhappy Carter H. June 6 (GI Sprint) and GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. last time July 4 (GI Dirt Mile). He kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a sharp win in Gulfstream's Sir Shackleton S. Mar....

"To be in the horseracing business, I think you need a lot of patience," says Jon Clay. "With horses that don't sell, even horses that get injured, I've learned to be patient; learned not to get too emotional." Easier said than done, naturally. But here's a guy who absolutely gets it; who understands that the reckoning is not rendered in consistent, cogent cycles of dollars and cents, but in a longer, wider register of satisfaction. Yes, Clay is a commercial breeder and strives to make his program pay. He has...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Though he has recovered from a leg issue that interrupted his training schedule, two-time Grade I winner Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) looks to be a long shot to compete in the GI Forego S. Aug. 29. Trainer George Weaver said Friday said the 4-year-old colt, co-owned by Randy Hill's R.A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables, was "50-50" to make the seven-furlong Forego. Vekoma has been treated for an abscess in the coronet band of his left front leg and has not had a timed work since his 1...

The Week in Review, by Bill Finley Just about everyone was prepared to either love or hate the performance of Maximum Security (New Year's Day) in the GII San Diego H. Saturday at Del Mar. Either he would come back and dominate or he would struggle in his first performance outside of the notorious Jason Servis barn. There didn't appear to be much room for a gray area. But that's where things have landed. He was good enough to win but not so good that he proved beyond any doubt...

B. Wayne Hughes's Spendthrift Farm has acquired the breeding rights to multiple Grade I-winning millionaire Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}--Mona de Momma, by Speightstown). The chestnut captured the prestigious GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. Saturday, four weeks after dominating the GI Runhappy Carter H. "We are extremely excited about Vekoma and his future as a stallion. It's not often you see an elite racehorse that is by a Grade I winner and out of a Grade I winner," said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift general manager. "Vekoma is a terrific blend of his sire...

Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) exited his determined victory in Saturday's GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. in fine shape and could now be aimed at the Aug. 29 GI Forego S. at Saratoga, while connections also consider training the 4-year-old up to the Breeders' Cup. "What a horse," co-owner Randy Hill said Sunday. "I'll never own another horse like this. I've watched the race about 20 times and it just gives me goosebumps. I really wish I could have been there, but I'd rather win than be there and lose them." Vekoma...

One of the most welcome schedule changes imposed upon the racing calendar by the COVID-19 pandemic was the repositioning of the GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. to headline status on the July 4 holiday at Belmont Park. In 2014, the Met Mile got yanked off its decades-long anchor as the Memorial Day feature in New York, reassigned to a supporting role on GI Belmont S. Day. This move was part of the prevalent (but not always aesthetically pleasing) national practice of stacking graded stakes on big-race Saturdays. It never felt like...