Darby Dan

The first reported foal by three-time Grade I winner Gufo (Declaration of War--Floy, by Petionville) was born Friday, Jan. 24. Out of Blurricane (Rebellion {GB}), winner of the 2017 Ballade Stakes at Woodbine and earner of more than $500,000, the colt was bred by Ballycroy Bloodstock in Ontario. Gufo stood his first season at Ballycroy before moving to Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky ahead of the 2025 season, his second year at stud. "We're thrilled with this colt out of the resilient mare Blurricane," said Michaela Kemp of Ballycroy Bloodstock....

A filly born at Darby Dan Farm near Lexington, Kentucky is the first reported foal for champion 2-year-old colt Forte (Violence). Gravy (Collected--Flawless Diamond, by Saint Ballado), a $160,000 2024 Keeneland November purchase by Darby Dan client Gary Holland for Kamden Favorites, had a dark bay filly Jan. 8 at 6:00 p.m. ET. "She is a flashy filly with plenty of leg, we are thrilled with the result, especially as this is the mare's first foal," said Darby Dan Farm Manager Charlie McKinlay. Forte, named a 'TDN Rising Star' and...

The Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance (ITA) is celebrating its Fifth Annual Stallions & Services Auction--beginning Dec. 18--by partnering with platform BidXSell, the organization said in a press release on Friday. The auction focuses on uniting the Midwest horse racing community through the funding of scholarships, educational programs and the promotion of the industry. Featuring over 50 stallion seasons from Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, the event goes live on BidXSell's site at 8:00 a.m. (all times eastern) Dec. 18 and concludes at 4:00 p.m. Dec. 20. The catalogue review is set to...

Tapiture will relocate from Darby Dan Farm in Lexington, Kentucky to stand at Highfield Stock Farm in Alberta, Canada for the 2025 breeding season, the farm announced Friday. The son of North American leading sire Tapit has stood at Darby Dan Farm since his retirement to stud in 2016, and stood for a fee of $7,500 in 2024. His stud fee for 2025 will be $6,000 Canadian, the farm said. "Tapiture previously stood at Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky, where he passed down his speed and durability to his progeny,"...

Darby Dan Farm has set their 2025 stud fees for its roster of 13 stallions that will stand the upcoming breeding season, led by Flameaway and Dialed In, who will both stand for $15,000 LFSN, according to a press release from the farm on Thursday morning. The roster also features a trio of newcomers in Blazing Sevens, who will stand for $12,500 LFSN, as well as Gufo and Shirl's Speight who will both stand their first seasons at stud for $5,000 LFSN. Flameaway, a multiple graded stakes-winning son of Scat...

Shirl's Speight, a Grade I winner by Speightstown out of GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Perfect Shirl (Perfect Soul {Ire}), will stand the upcoming breeding season at Darby Dan Farm, the farm announced Wednesday. He will stand his first season at stud for $5,000 S&N. A homebred for Charles Fipke trained by Roger Attfield, the globetrotting Shirl's Speight scored the biggest win of his career in the 2022 GI Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland, and he was among the top milers that year when also second by...

Blazing Sevens (Good Magic), a Grade I winner and 'TDN Rising Star' at two, is available for inspection at Darby Dan where the new sire will stand the upcoming breeding season for $12,500 LFSN, the farm said in a Wednesday release. As a juvenile, the colt won the GI Champagne Stakes and at three was the runner-up in the GI Preakness Stakes. Blazing Sevens is out of the winning Warrior's Reward mare Trophy Girl, a half-sister to Grade I winner King David and stakes winner Bertsgoldenmissile. Bred in Kentucky by...

To many, no doubt, her genetic contribution is by now too attenuated to merit attention. At the very least, however, it must be acknowledged an impressive coincidence that the winners of both the GIII Iroquois Stakes and GIII Pocahontas Stakes--whose shared value, as reconnaissance for the Classics over the same track next May, is recognized by allocation of the first starting points--should share as sixth dam the Darby Dan foundation mare Golden Trail. The Golden Trail dynasty entwines such productive lines as those branded by Memories of Silver, Sunshine Forever...

Canadian champion 2-year-old colt Truth of It All (Proud Truth) died peacefully from natural causes at age 34 on Wednesday, July 24 at Hurstland Farm in Midway, Kentucky, according to a press release from the farm. By Darby Dan stallion Proud Truth, Truth of It All was born at Hurstland to MGSW Cup of Honey (Raise a Cup) Feb. 26, 1990. Trained by Sheldon Wolfe, Truth of It All won the 1993 edition of the GIII Grey Stakes en route to taking home the Sovereign Award for the top juvenile...

With the largest Fasig-Tipton online auction to-date underway--counting just over 300 diverse entries in its catalogue--their December Digital Sale is making this one to remember before it closes next Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 11 a.m. ET. Fasig-Tipton's Director of Digital Sales Leif Aaron took time out of his busy day to discuss with the TDN the numbers, the expectations, comparisons with the physical sales and a whole lot more, as the offerings unfold through the holiday weekend. TDN: It seems like every digital sale you are announcing a record number...

3rd-Del Mar, $63,500, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($80,000), 11-10, 2yo, f, 5fT, :57.39, fm, neck. JULIAS DREAM (f, 2, Flameaway--Cinnamon Girl, by Meadowlake) earned the title 'TDN Rising Star' at first asking Aug. 6 by the seaside oval when she won pillar to post by 5 1/2 lengths for her top five first-crop sire while sprinting over the turf. Switching to the main track in the GI Del Mar Debutante, she was a well-beaten eighth to fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Tamara (Bolt d'Oro). Back on the grass as the 3-5 choice...

"Multiple graded stakes winner Winter Memories died, and not a peep about it anywhere? Seriously?" Last week's tweet sounded like a salvo. The message's verve was driven by a quest for information. The responses underneath that query told the story, as a host of fans who loved and cheered home this gray filly by El Prado (Ire) over a decade ago, posted their sadness after hearing of her loss. Heading out the Old Frankfort Pike at historic Darby Dan Farm, owner John Phillips made the decision not to issue a...