Smart Strike's Big Year!

Smart Strike, a Canadian stallion out of Mr. Prospector and Classy 'N Sweet by Smarten is a retired 1992 stallion who really had quite a big year in 2007! Two of his children, Curlin and English Channel, really made him proud. Curlin won two Eclipse Awards for 3-year-old male and then Horse of the Year! English Channel won Eclipse Turf Male! And on September 30th, Smart Strike's three kids, C, EC, and Fabulous Strike all proved G1 winners at Belmont. So, with progeny earnings in 2007 alone of $9,122,430, he became #1 General Sire in North America for 2007.

He is the first stallion to produce Champion Turf and Champion Dirt kids in the same year, since the inception of the Eclipse Awards in 1971.

And, of course, his stud fee increased for 2008! His fee in 2007 -- $75,000. His fee in 2008 -- $150,000! Way to go, boy! Well done! More carrots for you, sweet thing!

In his own racing career, he won 6 of 8 starts, but took a thrashing from Cigar in his last start. He then was preparing for the Breeders' Cup, but suffered a fracture and retired early. My girls are related to this good boy through Nasrullah, Count Fleet, Turn-To, Princequillo, and Discovery among others!

The photo is from his stallion page. You can learn more about him at the following links:
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/stallion-directory/stallion.aspx?stallion_no=1365869
or
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/breeding-news/2007/October/15/Smart-Strike-joins-six-figure-stud-fee-club.aspx
or
http://www.ntra.com/blog.aspx?blogid=9&year=2008&month=1&day=23
or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Strike

Giacomo -- 2005 Kentucky Derby winner!

Giacomo won the 2005 Kentucky Derby as a 50-1 longshot, breaking from behind a wall of horses in the stretch to make a barnburning firelit 70-yard dash into history! His final record before he retired to Adena Springs Stud was 16: 3-2-5.

But his real longshot was surviving at all. He was born in 2002, a year when Kentucky suffered a huge epidemic of mare reproductive loss disorder. At his farm, 25% of the foals were aborted or were stillborn. All told, Kentucky lost 2,500 horse fetuses. But Alice Chandler, his mom, knew he was a tough guy!

Now, I got this from Two Minutes to Glory: The Official History of the Kentucky Derby. Donnie Snellings, the stallion and yearling manager at Giacomo's farm knew he was a tough one. He said, "He was a tiny little thing. But every time I tried to go get him, he'd take off all the way to the other fence. He was loose for three days. I saw a lot of the backside of Giacomo. I knew early he could run long."

His sire and dam are Holy Bull and Set Them Free. And he even has Ta Wee "Beautiful Girl" in his background. My girls are related to him through Better Self, Turn-To, Nasrullah, Questionnaire, Bull Dog, Pharos, Whisk Broom, Teddy, and Intentionally.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PDeItSF72Gs

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!!

Kentucky 2007: Claiborne's Monarchos

Here is Monarchos standing outside his stallion barn at Claiborne Farm. He was beautiful and sweet -- he preened like a stallion, but also was gentle. The stallion manager let us pet him. And so he is officially the first Kentucky Derby winner I ever petted! I was thrilled.

He was born in 1998 and his record is 10: 4-1-3 and $1,720,830. He won both the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby, placed in the Wood Memorial, and showed in the Belmont Stakes. His time in the Kentucky Derby was the second fastest in history, behind Secretariat's. He was in 10th place in a pack of 17, but managed to pick off each horse and finally put Congaree behind him at a searing pace! Of his preparatory win in the Florida Derby before the run for the roses, his jockey, Jorge Chavez said, "When I asked him, he just exploded. That was a great feeling, like I was the king."


So far, he has had 5 crops and 261 foals. Three of his crops are of racing age, with 192 foals of racing age.

His mom, Regal Band, died this year at the age of 20 at Rood and Riddle Hospital on April 9. She was suffering from a liver disorder. She was carrying an Empire Maker foal. My girls are related to his family in many ways, including Nearctic, Bimelech, Eight Thirty, War Admiral, Busanda, Bull Dog, Menow, Blue Larkspur, Turn-To, Nasrullah, Gainsborough, Case Ace, Bull Lea, Sir Gallahad, Case Ace, and Discovery.

You can read more about this sexy sweet kind stallion at the following links:
http://www.claibornefarm.com/stallions/monarchos.shtml
or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchos
or
http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2005/derby_history/derby_charts/years/2001.html
or
http://www.bloodhorse.com/stallionregister/sr_sire_page.asprefno=4475639&origin=BHonline or
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/horseracing/preakness/bal-sp.derby06may06,1,3965877.story?coll=bal-sports-preakness&ctrack=1&cset=true
or
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/1315147.stm
or
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/breeding-news/2007/April/09/Dam-ofMonarchos-dies-at-age-20.aspx
or
http://horseracing.about.com/library/weekly/aa050501a.htm

Kentucky 2007: Silent Classic and My Girls!

Barbie and Tom take care of thoroughbreds who need special care, either for injuries or senior care, for example. And they also engage in rescuing thoroughbreds too. In this photo, you see Silent Classic, a very important mare who travelled from Florida to live at Valentine Hall Farm. She was born in 1986, the year I graduated from college. Her sire is Danzig by Northern Dancer and her dam is Sweetest Chant by Mr. Leader.

She was a winner at 2 and 3, and earned $78,100. She has 11 registered foals, 9 raced, and 6 are winners. Her children include A Man of Class, Classic Boom, Creative Control, Jamies Silent Bid, Lang Pup, One Special Lady, Song of Songs, Very Classy Lady, and the filly in this photo the 2005 Silent Western. Silent Classic has had children in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, and then 2005. She's been a productive hard-working racer and mother. Of course, she's related to my girls, in many ways, but here are a few: Nearctic, Nearco, Turn-To, Hail to Reason, Eight Thirty, Man 'O War, Whisk Broom, Blenheim, Gay Crusader, and Teddy! Doesn't she look elegant standing all relaxed and royal in her pasture with her other gal pals?!

Stockwell and My Girls!

My girls are related to the 1849 born Stockwell who was considered "the very incarnation of ugliness" and "a bit savage," but also considered to be a very fine racer and the "emperor of stallions." He was 7 times the leading sire in England and the leading sire of the 1860s. His progeny through Phalaris were responsible for 70% of the stakes winners in the 1990s. Violet shares these Phalaris connections through Nasrullah, and Turn-To. Northern Dancer and Raise a Native are also part of this illustrious history, though only indirect relations to my girls. Hailee shares in Stockwell's glory through his English Triple Crown-winning progeny Lord Lyon, as well as his other progeny Man o' War and Doncaster! Stockwell is responsible for carrying the Eclipse line through to the modern day thoroughbred. When I look at my girls, I can see his nobility shining through. What beautiful girls I have! You can read more about their champion relative at the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockwell_(horse)

or

http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Stockwell.html

or

http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Bios/Stockwell.htm