Ivar

Playing chess with nature. That's what Jean-Luc Lagardère called it, and the analogy has always resonated with Alberto Figueiredo. How, for instance, do we account for the sheer size of King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who sealed his place among the elite sophomores of Europe with his Group 1 success at Ascot last Saturday? You don't particularly see that bulk in the sire; and, tragically, it wasn't in the dam either. In her case, the disparity proved fatal. "She was a good, medium-sized mare but he was so big...

Argentinian champion and U.S. Grade I winner Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}) is preparing for his Southern Hemisphere homecoming next month, when he will take up stud duty at Haras Carampangue in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The 7-year-old, who was campaigned by Kentucky-based Bonne Chance Farm and its South American partner Stud RDI, began quarantine shortly after his second-place finish in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. and will depart for his new home at the end of April, leaving him plenty of time to adapt to his second...

Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}--May Be Now, by Smart Strike), a dual Group 1 winner in Argentina and later winner of the GI Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland, has been retired from racing and will enter stud for the upcoming Southern Hemisphere breeding season at Haras Carampangue in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The news was announced jointly on Twitter by Stud RDI and Bonne Chance Farm, who campaigned Ivar in partnership. Perfect in three starts as a late-season juvenile in Argentina, Ivar annexed a Churchill allowance in his second U.S. appearance...

With the recent retirement of two-time winner Colonel Liam (Liam's Map), MG1SW Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}) was named the narrow 5-2 morning-line favorite for the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf. A winner of three of 12 starts in the U.S.--topped by the 2020 GI Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland--he has run in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile each of the last three years, running third in 2021 and fourth in 2020 and 2022. "I think his [last] race was very good," said trainer Paulo Lobo. "He lost to a...

Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector (Bernardini) tuned up for the Jan. 28 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational with a five-furlong drill in 1:01.60 (1/5) at Payson Park Sunday. "He went very well this morning," said trainer Bill Mott. "I was happy with him. He galloped out well and cooled out. It's looking like he's coming into the race well." Art Collector, winner of the 2021 GI Woodward S. and two-time winner of the GII Charles Town Classic, has been off since finishing fifth in the Oct. 1 GII Lukas Classic. He...

When last seen on these shores, Godolphin's Modern Games (Ire) (c, 3, Dubawi {Ire}--Modern Ideals {GB}, by New Approach {Ire}) was embroiled in the controversy of all controversies, when erroneously scratched, then allowed to run--albeit for purse money only--in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, which he duly won. The homebred is likely back on his way to the Breeders' Cup after pummeling overmatched rivals by five lengths in Saturday's GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile, for which Modern Games earns an all-expenses-paid trip to Keeneland. Allowed to drift back to sit...

The owner of some very solid West Coast form, Count Again (Awesome Again) nevertheless projects to be at least a little bit forgotten from a pari-mutuel perspective in a high-class renewal of the GI Maker's Mark Mile, the Good Friday feature at Keeneland. A maiden winner during this track's fall meet in 2019 when under the care of Neil Howard, the bay won the 10-furlong GIII Singspiel S. for trainer Gail Cox in 2020, but has been kept between eight and nine panels since being switched to the barn of...

With the 2022 breeding season underway, we continue to feature a series of breeders' mating plans. Today we have Leah Alessandroni, Bloodstock and Office Manager of Bonne Chance Farm. GLORY AND POWER (m, 8, Medaglia d'Oro - Dance Quietly, by A. P. Indy) to be bred to Essential Quality    We bought this mare as a weanling and she went on to become a winner for us. Her first foal was Momentous (Speightstown), who was an debut impressive winner at Fair Grounds on Feb. 19. This mare is out of...

Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Anne Marie O'Brien's Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) returns to the scene of his biggest career win in Saturday's GI Keeneland Turf Mile and will attempt to earn a berth to this year's GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Sent off at a whopping 73-1 in last season's Mile contested at the Lexington oval, the bay came from just off the pace to prevail by a neck. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, Order of Australia arrived at Keeneland Tuesday afternoon after spending two days...

Every year, the Kentucky Downs stakes schedule seems to get richer and attract better horses. This year, there were 16 stakes worth a combined $8.6 million and many were won by horses that could have an impact at the Breeders' Cup. The stakes schedule is a source of pride among the track's management team, but also a source of frustration. Only five of the stakes are graded and those are all Grade III events, which the track's senior vice president and general manager Ted Nicholson called "dumbfounding." "It's frustrating," Nicholson...

Undefeated in three Argentinian starts, including two daylight wins at Group 1 level, and competitive in stakes company in this country, Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}) settled in the latter third of the field, was ridden quietly into the final 2 1/2 furlongs by Joe Talamo and exploded through the Keeneland stretch to up-end a high-class field in Saturday's GI Shadwell Turf Mile, locking up a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile over the same course and distance exactly five weeks down the line. Drawn widest...