Mushka Draws $2.4 Million In Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale
Mushka topped the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale session on Tuesday, drawing a bid of $2.4 million from Elizabeth Moran’s Brushwood Stable.
The 3-year-old filly by Empire Maker out of the stakes-winning Seeking the Gold mare Sluice, Mushka won the Grade II Demoiselle Stakes at 2 and her last start, an allowance race on opening day of Keeneland’s fall meet.
Franny Abbott, acting as agent for Moran, said Mushka will remain in training with Bill Mott. Mushka was consigned by Eaton Sales, agent for Zayat Stables LLC.
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Mare Better Than Honour Sets $14 Million Record At Fasig-Tipton Sale
Mare Better Than Honour, dam of back-to-back Belmont Stakes winners Jazil and champion Rags to Riches, set a world Thoroughbred auction record for a broodmare or broodmare prospect November 2 when her price soared to $14 million during the Fasig-Tipton November select mixed sale in Lexington, Kentucky.
Southern Equine’s Michael Moreno, who owned 70% of the 2007 broodmare of the year, bid $14 million to keep her–a price that eclipsed the previous broodmare record by $3.5 million. John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms had owned the other 30%.
“Best mare in the world,” he said. “Who knows. You don’t plan this kind of thing. It evolves.”
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Texas Hall of Fame Inducting 4 of Horse Racing’s Renowned
By GREG MELIKOV
Bill Allen was asked a quarter-century ago why he was putting up 12 percent of the $3 million purse to supplement his Wild Again in the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Classic at Hollywood Park when the thoroughbred had no chance.
Allen, who organized and led Black Chip Stables, promptly predicted his horse was going to win and he was betting on it, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Wild Again went off at more than 31-1. The son of Icecapade led from the half-mile marker and won by a head in a rough-and-tumble race that prompted a stewards’ inquiry. Runner-up Gate Dancer was disqualified to third for interferring with favored Slew O’ Gold during the final furlong while the latter was advanced to second.
Allen, from Clarendon, TX, has been involved in horse racing for four decades. He is among four Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductees that will be enshrined on Oct. 4.
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80% Of Curlin Was Worth $2.6 Million In 2007
A group led by winemaker Jess Jackson paid $2.6 million for an 80% majority interest in rising star Curlin, who later won the Breeders Cup Classic and became Horse of the Year, in 2007.
The purchase price, long held secret, has been released for the first time in a motion filed in a civil case against Curlin’s two minority owners. Until Tuesday, the sale price had been reported to be in the $3.5 million range.
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Horsemen, 2 Tracks End Battles, But War Isn’t Over
By GREG MELIKOV
Two tracks ended their fight with horsemen’s groups assuring Calder an increase in simulcast revenue and allowing Ellis Park to race after it threatened to close.
Obviously, the tracks gave in because they faced financial disaster. But the war between both sides is far from over.
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Co-owner Michael Iavarone Says Big Brown Is Fine
One day after being eased up in the stretch and failing miserably in his bid to win the Triple Crown, Big Brown appears to be fine physically, according to co-owner Michael Iavarone.
Big Brown was attempting to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978 before those hopes were dashed with a last-place finish in the grueling 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes Saturday, June 7, at Belmont Park.
After the race, questions immediately arose if the previously unbeaten horse was injured. The bay colt raced despite a slight quarter crack to his left front hoof…
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Post Positions Might Make a Difference in Kentucky Derby
By GREG MELIKOV
The morning line 3-1 favorite in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby will break from the outside post position. It won’t be the first time Big Brown has done so in his brief racing career.
The son of Boundary roared out of post 12 in the Florida Derby on March 31 and won by five lengths recording the fastest 1 1/8 miles since 1996 – 1:48. The undefeated 3-year-old made the lead by the first call.
The 3-year-old’s connections, selecting 16th following a draw earlier Wednesday to determine the order in which posts would be selected, went for 20.
That’s a bad omen. Only one horse breaking from that post won in 133 runnings: Clyde Van Dusen in ’29.
“We prefer just to break on the outside, trainer Richard Dutrow said. “We get assured of a clean trip. If he breaks good, we figure it’s to our advantage. We had a few good choices and felt we took the best shot.”
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20% of Curlin May Be Sold
Judge Roger Crittenden told attorneys at a hearing Wednesday that he will order the sale of assets, including 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin, that were owned by attorneys William Gallion and Shirley Cunningham Jr., said three attorneys who took part in the hearing.
Jess Jackson, who holds an 80 percent interest in Curlin through Stonestreet Stables, has the right of first refusal on the minority interest if it goes up for sale, said Jackson’s spokesman, Kevin McGee. That gives Jackson the right to buy Curlin before anyone else at a designated price.
Tandy, a Lexington company set up by Gallion and Cunningham, owns 20% of Curlin through its subsidiary, Midnight Cry Stable. Curlin recently won the $6 million Dubai World Cup and has $8.8 million in career earnings. Jackson, through a series of purchases, bought the other 80% of Curlin, who was initially purchased by the attorneys for $57,000 at the 2005 Keeneland September yearling sale.
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Daaher Retired To Stud at Nashwan Stud
Shadwell Stable’s Daaher, winner of last year’s Cigar Mile Handicap (gr. I) and most recently finished third in Aqueduct‘s Stymie Handicap on March 1, has been retired from racing due to “torn and injured ligaments in his right front ankle”. He retires with 4 wins and 2 thirds from 9 starts.
Daaher will enter stud for the 2008 season at Shadwell’s Nashwan Stud, the stallion division of Shadwell Farm, in Lexington, Kentucky.
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448 Early Nominations Entered in 2008 Triple Crown Races
Almost reaching the record of 450 last year, 448 thoroughbreds, 446 of which are males and 2 fillies, were made eligible for the 2008 Triple Crown races: Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes when early nominations were released.
Four-time Eclipse Award winner Todd Pletcher led all trainers for the 5th year in a row with 31 nominees. Todd Pletcher ended a 0-for-28 run in Triple Crown races last year when his filly Rags to Riches won the Belmont Stakes. Among his promising 3-year-olds are Cowboy Cal and Monba.
Two-time Kentucky Derby winning trainer, Nick Zito nominated 19 3-year-olds for the Triple Crown races, including the undefeated War Pass.
The first leg of the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby, will be held at Churchill Downs on May 3. The Preakness Stakes will be on May 17 at Pimlico Race Course. Belmont Stakes will be at Belmont Park on June 7.
Read full story: "448 Early Nominations Entered in 2008 Triple Crown Races"...
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