bloodstock agent

Few bloodstock agents manage to rack up the miles that Ed Stapleton puts in on a yearly basis. That's ironic, because if it wasn't for being stopped in his tracks during the Covid-19 pandemic back in 2020, Stapleton may never have made a go of it in both hemispheres.  Now, Stapleton spends six months of the year in the southern hemisphere, where he is already up and running for 2026 after striking at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Attention turns to the National Yearling Sale at Karaka, which...

Case Clay took a break from the Keeneland September Sale to join us on this week's TDN Writers' Room and discuss "bonkers" sales results, the latest news from Wathnan Racing and more.

Bernie Sams will be launching a new venture, BF Sams Bloodstock Advisory, according to a press release from the new company this morning. Drawing upon his extensive experience working for some of the world's top Thoroughbred farms, Sams said he would offer a variety of consulting services, including broodmare band management, advice on matings, purchases of stallion seasons and shares, securing equine insurance, and more. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Sams began working with Thoroughbreds while attending the University of Kentucky. Early in his career, he worked at Wimbledon Farm, Haras...

Ted Durcan has quickly established himself as one of the most respected bloodstock agents on the beat since retiring from race-riding with over 1,500 winners under his belt at the age of 45 in 2018.  In a career that spanned 25 years, Durcan achieved Classic success aboard Light Shift in the Oaks in 2007 before partnering Mastery to St Leger glory in 2007. He also enjoyed hugely successful periods abroad and was crowned champion jockey in the UAE on seven occasions.  In many ways, bloodstock has proved to be a...

Neil Pessin, who trained the late Bob Lothenbach's Bell's the One (Majesticperfection) to a victory in the GI Derby City Distaff in its COVID-delayed renewal in 2020, is leaving the training ranks effective immediately. The affable conditioner's final starter was Finn McSorley (English Channel), who finished eighth in a Keeneland maiden special weight on the grass Apr. 25. "I'd like to keep training, but financially it's very tough and I was down to two maiden turf horses, one maiden claimer, and it's just not financially feasible to keep going," Pessin...

Five years ago, Jacob Pritchard Webb's career as a jump jockey in France was brought to a close with a fall that changed his life at the age of just 23. Even while coming to terms with his multiple neck and spinal injuries in hospital in Paris, he was already plotting the next phase of his life and from an early stage had his sights set on putting his equine skills to use by becoming a bloodstock agent. Pritchard Webb is now well on the way to establishing himself in...

The breeze-up season kicks off next week and Brian Sheerin has spoken to three leading protagonists within the sphere to get their thoughts on what the next few weeks and months might bring. Eddie O'Leary, who through his hugely successful Lynn Lodge Stud, has sold horses like The Wow Signal and Gronkowski at the breeze-up sales while Amy Marnane, along with her father Con, has unearthed many a Bansha House Stables bullet with Sands Of Mali and Rio de la Plata just a couple of names that roll off the...

The breeze-up sales are just around the corner and in this latest edition of the TDN's Conversations podcast, Brian Sheerin catches up with Oliver St Lawrence, Amy Marnane and Eddie O'Leary to discuss their outlook on the market for 2025.

Bloodstock agent Mike Ryan has not ruled out offering his recent Grade II winner Be Your Best (Ire) at a European sales house but explained that priority number one was to bag a victory at the highest level with his homebred daughter of Muhaarar (GB). Ryan is perhaps best known for sourcing many champions on behalf of owners Klaravich Stables and trainer Chad Brown but described seeing Be Your Best, who he bred under his own St Croix Bloodstock, landing the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes...

Dan Preiss had an angle going into the 2022 Keeneland November Sale. The progeny of Arrogate were just heating up, with Secret Oath, Cave Rock and And Tell Me Nolies all having claimed Grade I scores for their late sire already that year, but the market was still hesitant about committing to daughters of Arrogate as producers. Preiss hypothesized that someday soon, that would change. With a limited budget, Preiss landed on Disco Diva, an unraced Juddmonte homebred by Arrogate, and purchased the 2-year-old maiden for KingFisher Farm for just...

David Ingordo talks Zenyatta, Flightline, HISA and so much more on the TDN's Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland.

TDN's Brian Sheerin catches up with John Foley and Sean Grassick to review the 2024 yearling sales. What went well and where was there room for improvement? They cover all this and more.