Don Alberto

The X-Ray Files series, now in its second year and presented in cooperation with the Consignors and Breeders Association, uses conversations with buyers and sellers to contribute to the discussion on radiographic findings and their impact on sales and racetrack success. Ocala horseman David Scanlon is not just a leading 2-year-old consignor, but he has also built an impressive list of training graduates for leading owners like Godolphin, Coolmore, Don Alberto, and Calumet Farm. In both capacities, Scanlon's operation is well represented on this year's GI Kentucky Derby trail. He...

2nd-GP, $89K, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 12:38 p.m. ET. Whisper Hill homebred TAP MY BELLE (Tapit) makes her first start for trainer Ralph Nicks. The gray is out GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic heroine Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled's Song), who was bred and raced by Gary Seidler and Peter Vegso. Initially, she was purchased by Brushwood Stable for $2.8 million as the fourth highest price at the 2011 Keeneland November Sale. Five years later at the same auction, Whisper Hill made the mare the sales topper when Mandy Pope took her...

It's a summer of firsts for Don Alberto. In June, the international operation owned by Liliana Solari and her son Carlos Heller celebrated the first Grade I winner in the United States bred by their American base when Arcangelo (Arrogate) scored in a historic edition of the GI Belmont S. Now, they are preparing to send 50 homebreds to the Keeneland September Sale. The contingent is led by an Into Mischief colt out of champion racemare Unique Bella (Tapit) who will be the first of their prized mare's progeny to...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Subsequently flattered by Liguria (War Front)'s impressive performance in last weekend's GIII Jimmy Durante S. at Del Mar, Erna (f, 2, Curlin--Jumby Bay, by City Zip) will look to go one better at second asking in the nightcap at Gulfstream Park Sunday. Off at 11-1 going 1 1/16 miles over the grass on debut at the Belmont at Aqueduct meeting Oct. 22, Erna jumped well from post five...

Chance Timm will become a partner in leading sales agency Grovendale, which has been owned and managed by James B. Keogh, the company announced Monday. The newly formed partnership reflects a longtime friendship and business relationship that comes full circle with the partnership. Grovendale Sales is a Thoroughbred sales consignment based in Versailles, Kentucky, offering sales representation, matings, investments and Thoroughbred management consultation. Timm has over 12 years' experience in the commercial Thoroughbred business. He spent eight years at Lane's End Farm as the Director of Stallion Seasons and Shares,...

Don Alberto Stable's ALMANZO (Tapit) kicks off his career for trainer Brad Cox on Churchill's opening card of the fall meet. Having registered his latest works at Ellis, including a recent four-furlong move in :49 4/5 Sept. 11, the homebred is out of GSP American Story, a $400,000 Fasig-Tipton juvenile purchase. Campaigned by Kaleem Shah and Bob Baffert, the daughter of Ghostzapper is also responsible for SW and MGSP Americanize (Concord Point) and MGISW American Gal (Concord Point), both of whom were also campaigned by Shah and trained by Simon...

2nd-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 8-22, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:49.45, yl, 1 1/2 lengths. FORTINENO (IRE) (f, 2, Frankel {GB}--Rubina {Ire} {SP-Ire}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}), backed to 6-5 favoritism for this debut despite a modest-looking worktab, traveled in a clear fifth as Seduce (Into Mischief) dictated terms through pokey fractions of :26.06 and :51.81 over boggy ground. Picking up a bit three wide nearing the lane, the $400,000 Keeneland September buy found her best stride passing the eighth pole and wore down the pacesetter in the final sixteenth to score...

Forza Di Oro (Speightstown), a stylish optional claiming winner for Hall of Famer Bill Mott in his seasonal debut at Saratoga July 21 (video), could target the newly positioned GI Jockey Club Gold Cup over closing weekend at the Spa Sept. 4. The lightly raced 4-year-old, a disappointing eighth in the GII Remsen S. in his juvenile finale, has been perfect in three starts since. The Don Alberto homebred was two-for-two in an abbreviated 2020 campaign, capped by a win with a career-high 101 Beyer Speed Figure in the GIII...

After only a head separated Beautiful Gift (Medaglia d'Oro) and Moraz (Empire Maker) in a thrilling renewal of the GIII Santa Ysabel S. Mar. 7, the two sophomore fillies will meet again in Saturday's GII Santa Anita Oaks. The streaking Baoma Corp homebred Beautiful Gift, a half-sister to the Chu Family's GIII Sunland Derby hero and Bridlewood Farm sire Chitu (Henny Hughes), graduated by a half-length at second asking in her previous trip to the post for Bob Baffert Oct. 23. The rail-drawn Don Alberto homebred Moraz, an 11-length maiden...

The fireworks at the annual Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton November sales are always a highlight of the year as seven-figure bids abound on some of racing's top broodmares and broodmare prospects. But after the dust settles, it can be years before words get out on the breeding careers of the sales' top offerings. We catch up with the connections of a few of these most recent million-dollar broodmares and learn of their mating plans for 2021 in our 'Million-Dollar Matings' series. [tdn_vimeo_embed title="Blue Prize at Taylor Made" admp4="https://player.vimeo.com/external/515489558.sd.mp4?s=c7e72749717e8d52cab5b5ce2ae192d51a7af636&profile_id=165" videomp4= "https://player.vimeo.com/external/522978900.sd.mp4?s=86df5ecc14e6d906dbebdf808f5c0ef9029e5cc0&profile_id=165" thumbnail=...

Chance Timm has been named Executive Director of the Don Alberto Corporation, the farm announced Sunday morning. He takes over in that new role March 1. With over 100 broodmares, Don Alberto, based in Lexington, was a top 15 breeder nationally last year. Timm succeeds Fabricio Buffolo, who has been the Executive Director for the past four years. Both are graduates of the prestigious Godolphin Flying Start program. Beginning with the purchase of the former Vinery Stud in 2013, Don Alberto has subsequently expanded its holdings in America to occupy...

An intentional breeder is a student of their broodmares, diligently studying each mating and the resulting offspring while adjusting and making inferences at every corner. Over the past seven years, the Don Alberto Corporation has meticulously analyzed each foal produced on their growing Kentucky-based farm and has endeavored to make each mating more successful that the last as they continue to learn from their elite broodmare band. "The engine has started working," Don Alberto's Executive Director Fabricio Buffolo said. "We know the mares and know more about how they are...