Darby Dan

"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...

Freshman sire Flameaway and multiple Grade I sire Dialed In will together lead the 2024 stallion roster at Darby Dan Farm, the Central Kentucky farm announced in a release Friday afternoon. The pair, each standing for $15,000 S&N, will head a dozen stallions on the Darby Dan roster. A son of Scat Daddy, Flameaway is fourth on North America's freshman sire list with 15 first-crop winners. His 2-year-olds include MGSW Dreamfyre, winner of the GIII Surfer Girl S. Oct. 8 who is pointing to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies...

Set for a debut at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on Sunday afternoon, Julias Dream (Flameaway) gave her freshman sire something to cheer about as she came home a newly-minted 'TDN Rising Star'. Taking to the grass, the chestnut filly at 6-1 odds shot to the lead up the backstretch and held sway around the far turn. Into the stretch, Julias Dream went on comfortably to win by 5 1/2 lengths and stop the clock at :56.97 over fellow first timer Avoir (More Than Ready). The winner's dam is a half-sister...

Bidding opens for the Jockey and Jeans Stallion Season Sale, benefitting the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, on Tuesday Jan. 10 at 9 am ET and ends Thursday, Jan. 12 at 9 pm ET with a preview beginning Jan. 9. The sale features over 70 stallions from Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New York, California, Texas and Oklahoma and has raised over $500,000 for the PDJF to date. "Big farm or small, we thank them all," said Jockeys and Jeans President Barry Pearl. "There are many other valuable seasons and one for every pocketbook....

The third annual Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance (ITA) Stallions and Services Auction kicks off on the Starquine.com platform Friday, Dec. 16 and will run through Monday, Dec. 19 at 5 p.m. ET. The auction benefits the philanthropic efforts of the ITA to support aftercare, education and promotional efforts for the Indiana horse racing industry. Stallions from Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Florida are included in the auction from: Arrowhead Thoroughbreds, Breakway Farm, Calumet, Chesapeake Farm, Crestwood, Darby Dan, Gainesway, Indiana Stallion Station, Poplar Creek Horse Farm, R Star Stallions, Taylor Made Stallions...

Darby Dan Farm's Country House (Lookin At Lucky), winner of the 2019 GI Kentucky Derby, was represented by his first foal when a colt out of the City Zip mare American Values was born Tuesday, Jan. 25 at Scarteen Stud. He was bred by Mrs. J.V. Shields, one of the owners of Country House, who was bred by her late husband. A 'TDN Rising Star', Country House was a good second in the 2019 GII Risen Star S. and crossed the line second behind champion Maximum Security (New Year's Day)...

Darby Dan Farm's Country House (Lookin At Lucky), winner of the 2019 GI Kentucky Derby,has had his first mare confirmed in foal, the farm announced today. He was bred to the Ghostzapper mare More Everything Feb. 10, and the half-sister to stakes winner and Grade III-placed Bishop's Pond (Curlin) and stakes-placed Black Oak (Forestry) has been scanned in foal for owner Watershed Bloodstock, LLC. Country House broke his maiden with a 'TDN Rising Star' performance at Gulfstream Park, finished a fast-closing second to eventual Classic winner War of Will (War...

Darby Dan Farm's Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro--Alternate, by Seattle Slew) confirmed the Grade I winner's first mares are in foal. Confirmed in foal, Gold Club (Majestic Warrior), out of the Touch Gold mare Be Golden, was the first mare he bred Feb. 11. She is owned by Brandywine Farm. Also confirmed in foal is Talking Audrey (Thunder Gulch--Diversa, by Tabasco Cat), a half-sister to Grade I winner Love Theway Youare, who was bred Feb. 12. Talking Audrey is owned by RAH Bloodstock. A 5 1/4-length winner of the 2019 GI...

As we approach the end of the calendar, we turn our attention to the incoming sire class of 2021. We asked several judges who their favorite incoming sire is for next year and if there are any other stallions, new or otherwise, that have caught their eye as under-the-radar picks.     DEREK MACKENZIE, Vinery Sales  Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro), $10,000, Darby Dan  My favorite new sire for 2021 is Higher Power. Physically, he's just phenomenal and his pedigree is hands down the best this year for the new sires....

Darby Dan Farm has set 2021 stud fees for its roster of 12 stallions that will stand the upcoming breeding season, led by Dialed In (Mineshaft), who will stand for $15,000 S&N, down from $20,000 a season ago. The roster also features Tapiture (Tapit), Klimt (Quality Road), and GI Breeders' Cup Classic contender Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro), new for 2021, who will each stand for $10,000 S&N. GI Kentucky Derby winner Country House (Lookin At Lucky), also new for 2021, Flameaway (Scat Daddy), and Copper Bullet (More Than Ready) will...

We often talk of stallions who have had to earn their stripes. And there's no doubt that Dialed In has uncomplainingly completed every drill necessary to get his first Grade I insignia stitched onto his uniform, by Get Her Number in the American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita a few days ago. By the time the son of Mineshaft set up shop in 2013, his qualifications as favorite for the 2011 Derby had rather faded from memory. He had run down Shackleford (Forestry) in the GI Florida Derby, but their...

2nd-Saratoga, $72,000, Msw, 8-9, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:44.94, fm. SEASONS (f, 2, Tapit--Winter Memories {MGISW, $1,268,100}, by El Prado {Ire}) got the job done in her much-anticipated first start Sunday, but not without plenty of drama. The regally bred filly showed a very upbeat worktab leading up to this unveiling, punctuated by a :48.79 bullet over the Oklahoma turf Aug. 3 (XBTV Video), and was backed down to 4-5 from an already telling 9-5 morning line prediction. Away in good order, the chestnut took up a stalking spot along...