Al Stall

Cataloged as hip 223 as part of Case Clay Thoroughbred Management draft, Dalika (Ger) (Pastorius {Ger}) was hammered down to Pursuit of Success/Bryan Prentice for $1.65 million as the opening session of the Keeneland November Sale began to wind down. In six years at the races, Dalika made 32 trips to the races, good for 10 victories, seven of which came at the stakes level, including a track record-setting performance in the 2022 GI Beverly D. S. where she covered nine furlongs on the turf in 1:46.31. Her other graded...

It was almost a year ago that Case Clay stepped away from his position at Three Chimneys Farm to focus full-time on his company, Case Clay Thoroughbred Management. With services including bloodstock auction and private purchases, portfolio management and equine insurance, he has stayed busy since going solo. Clay was in Australia for the Inglis Easter Sale this spring to oversee a successful auction for his clients offering yearlings there. They celebrated several lucrative sales, including a Dundeel (NZ) colt out of Kevikki (Aus) (Smart Missile {Aus})--a mare that Clay...

Bo Cruz (Creative Cause), away since a 12 1/4-length maiden romp on the stretch out at Fair Grounds Mar. 4, stamped himself as one to watch on the sophomore scene going forward--and a 'TDN Rising Star'--as he easily handled a strong-looking group of runners in the race following the GI Kentucky Derby. The grey was second on debut sprinting in NOLA Feb. 5, but put it all together next out, earning a 91 Beyer Speed Figure for his graduation score. With clocker and agent Bruno DeJulio listed as sole owner...

4th-CD, $120k, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 2:15 p.m. ET LE LEVRE (Le Havre {Ire}) makes her first trip to the races for the sneaky debut barn of Al Stall, Jr. and is a half-sister to four winners from as many to race out of Sunny Again (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}), whose notable produce include Italian highweight and Group 3 winner Elisa Again (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}); Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}), a winner at listed level in England and narrowly beaten in the 2020 G1 Pertemps St Leger; and...

On the surface, trainer Ron Faucheux could not have been doing any better. He came out of the Fair Grounds meet on Mar. 26 with his third straight training title at the New Orleans track, his 42 winners five more than Bret Calhoun and Brad Cox. He had a career best 81 winners in 2022 and his stable earned $2,066,757. But when Louisiana racing moved to Evangeline Downs last week, Faucheux was conspicuously absent from the entries. The latest horsemen to say it has simply become too difficult for a...

Horse racing fans will tuck in to a traditional helping of graded stakes on Thursday at both Churchill Downs and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Coast-to-coast Grade III gatherings include a dirt and turf race in the GIII Falls City S. and the GIII Cardinal S. before swinging out west to the Jimmy Durante Turf Course for the GIII Red Carpet S. Into Mischief's Played Hard the Favorite in Falls City With only six drawn for the Falls City under the Twin Spires, there is no question that trainer Phil...

Much to the delight of owner/breeder Rustlewood Farm and trainer Mark Casse, Pappacap (Gun Runner) will face nothing of the quality of the likes of 'TDN Rising Star' and likely Eclipse Award winner Corniche (Quality Road) when he makes his sophomore debut in Saturday's GIII Lecomte S. at the Fair Grounds. The homebred was off the board just once from five runs in 2021, winning the GII Best Pal S. by open lengths at second asking before completing the exacta underneath the OBS April topper when beaten 3 1/4 lengths...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency PRICEY UNIFIED DEBUTS IN NOLA 7th-FG, $45K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 5:11 p.m. Spendthrift Farm's $400,000 OBSMAR purchase UNDERHILL'S TAB (Unified) makes his career bow in this spot for trainer Al Stall. A $10,000 KEENOV weanling and $19,000 FTKOCT yearling, the dark bay breezed in a snappy :9 4/5 at OBS. Out of MSW Mykindasaint (Saint Ballado), the colt is a half to SW Malibu Saint (Malibu Moon). Spendthrift and partners William and Corinne Heiligbrodt will be represented by second timer Prather (Into Mischief). The...

FRANKLIN, Ky. - With huge purses offered during a mighty short season all run over a distinctive European-style turf course, the FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs has emerged as a gem of American racing. It's different, to be sure. Once an obscure little meet quietly contested at a track called Dueling Grounds in a small town on the border with Tennessee, much closer to Nashville than Kentucky's big cities, Louisville and Lexington, it has flourished, gotten noticed and embraced. This year it features six graded stakes, three of them with...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY--There's more than a casual connection between New Orleans, Masqueparade (Upstart) and Saratoga Race Course, where the colt will run Saturday in the $1.25-million GI Runhappy Travers. Trained by New Orleans native Al Stall for a group of New Orleans businessmen and pals headed by Wilbur "Bill" Babin called FTGGG Racing and whose name references the masks worn during the city's signature Mardi Gras festivities, Masqueparade was purchased with Saratoga in mind. Babin made his first visit to Saratoga in 2003; has come for the entire meet since...

4th-Keeneland, $79,735, Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 4-2, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:23.76, ft, 4 1/2 lengths. CARRIBEAN CAPER (f, 3, Speightstown--Checkupfromzneckup {SP, $187,470}, by Dixie Union) romped by eight lengths on debut at Fair Grounds Feb. 13--good for 'TDN Rising Star' honors--and showed a new dimension Friday to remain unbeaten. Off at 4-5, the dark bay broke a touch flat-footed and eventually settled in to draft behind Tiz Splendid News (Maclean's Music) from third. Carried very wide by the pacesetter entering the stretch, she pulled clear midway down the lane and...

Carribean Caper (f, 3, Speightstown--Checkupfromzneckup, by Dixie Union) kicked off Saturday's loaded GII Risen Star S. card with a 'TDN Rising Star' performance in the lid lifter at Fair Grounds. The 3-1 chance broke sharply and forced the issue on the outside from second through an opening quarter in :22.24 over the "good" going. Always traveling like the winner, she poked her head in front approaching the quarter pole, and with a shake or two of the reins from Colby Hernandez, took off in a flash to win going away...