Breaking News! Nashoba's Key Euthanized!

I am sad to report that the 5 year-old filly, born the same month and year as my dear Violet, Nashoba's Key was euthanized yesterday at the Hollywood Park backtrack. At 5:30am, she was in her outdoor pen, being readied for a gallop, when she kicked out so forcefully that she broke the tibia in her left hock. She is the daughter of Silver Hawk out of Nashoba by Caerleon, and she didn't start until her fourth year, when she won her first 7 starts. This year, she came in second in the Sunshine Millions in January, and won the Santa Margarita Handicap in March. She was coming off a rest break before being trained to shoot for the Fall Classic races. Her final record was 10: 8-1-0. Last year, she was, not surprisingly, a finalist for the Eclipse Older Female Award, placing second behind Ginger Punch. Rest in peace, powerful girl.

Nashoba's Key and My Girls!

Here is a photo of Nashoba's Key ridden to victory by Garrett Gomez, March 9, 2008, in the Santa Margarita Handicap. It's an AP Photo by Benoit. In the other photo, she is resting in her stall at Del Mar. This mare was born on March 26, 2003, the same month as Violet, but she didn't begin her racing career until she was four years old because her owner and trainer thought she needed the time to grow into her big old self. They knew she would be special.

So, when she first raced in January 2007, she proved their wisdom. She won 7 of her first 7 starts. She won really important California graded stakes under a 17 year old jockey, Joseph Talamo. After terrific wins, she came in 4th in the Breeders Cup when she got trapped on the rail in 6-inch deep wet turf and then in January 2008, she came in second to Quite a Bride in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf. Since then, she was returned to Garrett Gomez to ride and that's when she just polished off the competition in the Santa Margarita Handicap earlier in March. She now has a record of 10: 8-1-0. Last year, she lost the Female Turf Eclipse Award to Lahudood, but she pulled a hat trick, by winning the California-Bred Champion Turf Horse, Older Female, and Horse of the Year! She's great on synthetic and turf tracks!

They've decided to give her a small vacation to give her a rest for her second chance at the Breeders Cup. Her trainer, Carla Gaines, says, "She hasn't had a day off the track since her first start on January 13, 2007. Any horse that's doing well, it's tempting to keep going and going, but I want to have a horse that has had some time off and is ready to strike at the Breeders' Cup. The NTRA notes of her that she has "determination to match talent."

And that determination must be a part of her larger personality. In an interview with Larry Stumes for the San Francisco Chronicle, Carla Gaines noted, "She's not really crazy about us. She could do without humans except at feed time. She's just a viper. She's reached out and grabbed a few people and tried to remove one of their appendages. I think a lot of really good filies have the same attitude. She's got a ton of class, loves what she does, and is very, very competitive."

Her parents are Silver Hawk out of Nashoba by Caerleon. Her dad is turning out to be a tremendous sire of turf ladies! And her mom only raced 5 times, but won 4 -- so mother and daughter are true champions at ending up out front! In her pedigree, she has Nijinsky, Nashua, Round Table, and Northern Dancer. My girls are most immediately related to her through Hail To Reason, so they share many relatives, including Nasrullah, Princequillo, and Nearctic.

You can read more about this resting, but getting ready girl at the following link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashoba's_Key

Breaking News! Broodmare sets World Record Auction Price

The Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale is underway, beginning November 5th and running through the 19th. On the very first day, sales are up by 30% over last year, with intense international interest. 194 horses sold on the first day, for an average of $526,186, and a median of $272,500. 28 horses sold for $1 million or more. The first day brought $109,064,000. Can you imagine what the total sale will bring?! And this sale comes on the heels of the Fasig-Tipton Sale which ended Sunday. It too ended up 30% over last year's sales.

But a world record was set for a 5 year-old mare, Playful Act, who was in a bidding war between Coolmore Stud and the ruler of Dubai, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's Darley Stud. She sold for $10.5 million!!! The mare was held by Hill 'N Dale Bloodstock and she had recently aborted a Kingmambo foal. I once went to Hill 'N Dale to see a live cover in their famous breeding shed! Tom Hall kindly took Carla and me to this big event!

Playful Act's parents are Sadlers Wells and Magnificient Style. Sadlers Wells' dad is Northern Dancer, the Kentucky Derby winner from 1964. And MS' dad is Silver Hawk. She has lots of Native Dancer in her pedigree, and she even has Shenanigans, Ruffian's mom. So, you know, she's a very good girl!

My girls are related to her lots of ways, but some of them are through Nearco, Bold Reason, Nasrullah, Turn-To, and Pocahontas. I hope that beautiful Playful Act becomes a big fat Blue Hen who produces nothing but her beatiful self as a living gift through the ages!!