Elliott Walden

LEXINGTON, KY - The day, which began at Newtown Paddocks Tuesday with a steady renewal of the Fasig-Tipton July Selected Yearlings Sale, ended with a record-blasting edition of the Fasig-Tipton July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale and it was the very last horse through the ring who made the loudest noise when stakes-winning 2-year-old Romeo (Honor A. P.) sold for $1.7 million to the bid of Mahmud Mouni. The Horses of Racing Age catalogue, down to 70 entries from 123 a year ago, may have been small, but it...

Tappan Street (Into Mischief), forced to miss the GI Kentucky Derby after suffering a condylar fracture in his right front leg, will have 60 days off before returning to light training, per co-owner WinStar Farm's Elliott Walden. Dr. Larry Bramlage performed surgery on the GI Curlin Florida Derby winner on Apr. 27, a day after his five-furlong breeze in :59.60 (8/33) at Churchill Downs. The $1-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling is campaigned in partnership by WinStar Farm, CHC, Inc. and Cold Press Racing. He is trained by Brad Cox. "He is...

LEXINGTON, KY--During a Speaker Series focusing on HISA, one question opened the door to an in-depth discussion. How do we catch the bad actors in horse racing without placing a financial burden on the good guys? Trainer Dale Romans, the President of the Kentucky HBPA and a member of HISA's Horsemen's Advisory Group, was the first to take a stab at the answer, acknowledging that it was the million-dollar question. "That's a lot of what HISA has been struggling with because it's just as important to make sure that someone...

River Thames (Macleans's Music), who was most recently third in the GI Blue Grass Stakes, will not go in the GI Kentucky Derby and will instead use the extra two weeks off to prepare for the GI Preakness Stakes. The story was first reported by the Daily Racing Form's David Grening. "We just felt like the Preakness gave him a little more time and it felt like that was a better spot," said Elliott Walden, the president of WinStar Farm, which co-owns the colt along with the China Horse Club....

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher is in the process of making plans for a trio of stable stars which includes the Florida-based River Thames (Maclean's Music), Gate to Wire (Munnings) and Locked (Gun Runner). WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s undefeated 3-year-old colt and 'TDN Rising Star' River Thames bounced out of his Feb. 1 optional claiming allowance victory in good order and will have plenty of options moving forward said Pletcher. The New York-bred bay romped by 6 1/2 lengths as the favorite going one mile in 1:36.34 on...

In 2024, the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale--hosted over two days--was largely buoyed by the Lothenbach dispersal that saw seven of the sale's top nine mares--including a pair of seven figure offerings--originate from that consignment. While Monday's single-session renewal of the sale didn't quite attain the levels of one year ago, the latest edition did offer several of its own highlights. Hailing from the Red Oak Stable dispersal, Hip 395, a colt by Curlin led the day with a $775,000 final bid from Maverick, bidding online. Out of Grade I...

The Race Track Chaplaincy of America (RTCA), which ministers to the needs of those in the racing industry, honored WinStar Farm's Elliott Walden and outrider Bo Butler with the 22nd annual White Horse and Community Service Awards during the RTCA's "Night of Faith, Hope & Love" held during Breeders' Cup week. The awards are meant to recognize "selfless servants" throughout the industry. Walden, who has served as the RTCA National President for six of the last seven years, was named the RTCA 2024 Community Service Award recipient. Among his other...

Carrying a foal by hot sire Justify on Southern Hemisphere time, stakes-placed April Vintage (Vino Rosso) topped the Inglis Digital USA October Sale Tuesday when selling to Widden Stud of Australia for $180,000. More details on the mare and her consignment by WinStar Farm are available here. "She is an outcross to our traditional Australian sire lines and the fact that she showed good, natural speed as a 2-year-old was important," said Antony Thompson of Widden Stud. "Physically, she looks suitable to plenty of our own stallions, and buying through...

The catalog for the 2024 Inglis Digital USA October Sale is now online at www.inglisdigitalusa.com and features 67 horses of different ages. Among the sale offerings is the 3-year-old broodmare prospect April Vintage (Vino Rosso), who sells pregnant to top sire Justify and was bred to Southern Hemisphere time. A $175,000 OBS April juvenile, April Vintage won her maiden at her second career start and first on the turf and was subsequently placed in the Speakeasy Stakes. April Vintage is offered by WinStar Farm, who raced Triple Crown winner Justify...

Constitution (Tapit) continues to lead the roster at WinStar Farm and will stand the 2025 season for $110,000 S&N alongside Life is Good (Into Mischief) who will stand for $75,000 S&N, the farm announced Monday. The roster will be fortified further by new additions Cogburn (Not This Time), who will make his next start in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint with a stud fee to be announced after the race; Timberlake (Into Mischief), who will stand for $20,000 S&N; and Heartland (Justify), who will stand for $10,000 S&N. "We...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis LEXINGTON, Ky - With a pair of seven-figure colts by Nyquist leading the way, trade remained strong straight through the conclusion of Book 2 during the fourth session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Thursday in Lexington. "It was a great day," said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy at the close of business Thursday evening. "We are very pleased. The median is up 25% for the session over last year, which is a metric that we always use. That shows that it...

A colt by Nyquist (hip 984) became the first of Thursday's session to break seven figures when selling for $1.3 million. WinStar Farm's Elliott Walden signed the ticket on the yearling in the names of Maverick Racing, CHC, Inc. and Siena Farm. The bay was consigned by Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services. Out of Spa Treatment (Bernardini), the bay was bred by Springhouse Farm and Hunter Valley Farm. He sold for $385,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale. The colt became the 35th of the September sale to sell for $1 million...