Antony Beck

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack tracks down top horses on the sidelines. Gainesway homebred Spendarella (f, 3, Karakontie {Jpn}--Spanish Bunny, by Unusual Heat)--sidelined since posting a dominating 4 1/2-length victory for trainer Graham Motion in the GI Del Mar Oaks in August--will return for a 4-year-old campaign with an early-season target of the GI Jenny Wiley S. at Keeneland. "She came out of that last race with a couple of little issues and we gave her some time," said Alex Solis II, Gainesway's Director of Bloodstock...

By Christie DeBernardis and Jessica Martini A $1.4-million son of super sire Into Mischief (Hip 604) led a sextet of seven-figure sellers during the opening session of Book 2 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Wednesday. Consigned by Summerfield on behalf of Stonestreet Stables, the colt was purchased by Larry Best of OXO Equine. With six horses eclipsing the million-dollar mark Wednesday, the sale total now comes to 28. During the equivalent session last year, just two yearlings brought seven figures, including the $1.7-million sale topper. "It was a great...

Turf breeding in Kentucky stands at critical crossroads, being lately bereft of both its most accomplished stallions in Kitten's Joy and English Channel. The small, quixotic community that remains willing to persevere with grass influences, against a vicious commercial tide, is also grieving another recent loss in Get Stormy. That's why a breakout for Karakontie (Jpn), entering his prime at 11 and standing at no more than $10,000, feels so very timely. After recently fielding three stakes winners in 48 hours, either side of the Atlantic, his first millionaire Princess...

A total of 20 individuals were elected to serve as Breeders' Cup Members, it was announced Tuesday. Voting for the 2022 Member election by Breeders' Cup 2021 foal and stallion nominators was concluded at 5:00 p.m. ET June 6. The following individuals, listed alphabetically, received the most votes from the Breeders' Cup nominators to fill 20 Member seats. Each Member will serve a four-year term: Rory Babich, Antony Beck, Gatewood Bell, Case Clay, Alan Cooper, Everett Dobson, William S. Farish, Jr., H. Greg Goodman, Jonathan Green, Fred W. Hertrich, III,...

Twenty-four members of the racing industry are on the ballot for the election of 20 Breeders' Cup members. On May 27, the Breeders' Cup Election website will open for 2021 Breeders' Cup foal and stallion nominators to begin the voting process. Of the 24 candidates on the ballot, 17 are incumbent members standing for re-election. The 20 individuals receiving the most votes will each serve a term of four years. Members are elected every other year by Breeders' Cup foal and stallion nominators through a proportional voting system based on...

Afleet Alex (Northern Afleet--Maggy Hawk, by Hawkster), perhaps best known for his dramatic win in the 2005 GI Preakness S. after he stumbled in the stretch, has been pensioned after 16 years of stud duty at Gainesway, the farm announced today. Afleet Alex, who went on to win the GI Belmont S. in the same year, turned 20 this year. "Gainesway has officially pensioned Afleet Alex from stallion duties," said Sean Tugel, Gainesway's director of stallion sales and recruitment. "He is in great health currently and will remain at Gainesway...

And suddenly it feels as though the milestones have run out, leaving the road ahead tapering to some unmapped horizon. Because from now on, every dime earned by the progeny of Tapit will take him deeper into record territory. The success of Perfect Grace in a maiden at Saratoga on Saturday--and neither the setting nor the mating that produced this filly, with Horse of the Year Havre De Grace (Saint Liam), could be more commensurate with the moment--took their collective haul past the late Giant's Causeway's current tally of $173,015,900...

Spun to Run (Hard Spun--Yawkey Way, by Grand Slam), winner of last year's GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, will enter stud at Gainesway next season, the farm announced Sunday. The 4-year-old was also third in last year's GI TVG.com Haskell Invitational S. and he captured the GIII Smarty Jones S. He ended his career with a runner-up effort behind champion 3-year-old Maximum Security (New Year's Day) in the GI Cigar Mile H. On the board in 10 of 12 starts, Spun to Run won five times and earned $1,160,520. "Great...

With Tapit again leading its roster, Gainesway released its 2021 stud fees Wednesday. The gray super-sire, North America's leading stallion by lifetime graded stakes winners (84), Grade I winners (27), and progeny earnings ($159,714,395) will stand for $185,000 next year. He stood the 2020 season at $200,000. Four-time Grade I winner McKinzie (Street Sense) will begin his stud career next season at a fee of $30,000. (Click to view McKinzie's digital Flipbook). "I am excited about beginning this new chapter in the Gainesway stallions with McKinzie," said Gainesway CEO Antony...

Sean Tugel, who served WinStar Farm as its director of bloodstock services and assistant racing manager for the last decade, and Lakota Gibson, who spent the last five years working alongside David Ingordo in the bloodstock department at Lane's End Farm, have joined the team at Gainesway. A native of Rochester, New York, and a Lexington resident since 2004, Tugel has been named the director of stallion sales and recruitment. He has also served in management roles at Hill 'n' Dale Farm and Paul's Mill. "We're excited about adding Sean...

Saturday's second and final session of the Bloodstock South Africa National Yearling sale saw seven additional seven-figure (Rand) lots added to the top of the price list. Maine Chance Farms's champion sire Silvano (Ger) had been the star of day one, responsible for the top four lots including the sale-leading R7-million colt (£313,406/€348,135), and he once again provided the top two on Saturday. The leading light was Maine Chance's colt (lot 329) bought by Anthony Beck for R2.3-million (£102,976/€114,387). He is the second foal out of the G1 SA Oaks...

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gainesway Stable's Sharing (Speightstown), winner of last fall's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita, remains on course for Royal Ascot's G1 Coronation S. June 21. Sharing, winner of the May 23 Tepin S. at Churchill Downs, is trained by Maryland-based Graham Motion. "She is doing really well since she last ran," said Motion. "The weather here has been beautiful and I think that has really helped. Everything has been going pretty smoothly so far." Victorious in three of four starts last season, including...