John Sikura

Three years ago, John Sikura was blown away by how breeders responded to Hill 'n' Dale's new sire Charlatan, a multiple Grade I-winning son of Speightstown who bred 222 mares in his debut season. Sikura didn't expected to see demand quite like that again anytime soon, but he admits that he has been proven wrong since another Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' recently arrived at Hill 'n' Dale. Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo-Borealis Night, by Astrology), winner of the 2023 GI Pacific Classic Stakes, will stand for $30,000 in his debut...

New investors at the elite level of our sport are clearly being well briefed in the odds they need to overcome. But if nobody can have failed to notice one operation pronouncing itself "Resolute," only gradually are people becoming as aware of another that had already been branded as "Determined." As we'll see, a certain staunchness is not only innate to Matt Dorman of Determined Stud but has also been fortified by experience, some of it as challenging as life can throw at us. The upshot is a conspicuous sense...

The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale concluded its nine-day run in Lexington Wednesday with vibrant trade from a diverse buying bench leading to across-the-board increases where were highlighted by a new sales record median. "Overall, this was a very strong, fair market from start to finish," Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. "Book 1 gross jumped nearly 15% from last year with a much-improved clearance rate and that momentum powered the sale through the final days." For the nine days, 2,158 horses sold for $196,442,900. The average of...

Kevin Attard already knows it will be difficult, going back home to his barn at Woodbine and seeing an empty stall where stable star Moira (Ghostzapper) has been a steady presence for the past four years. The Canadian Horse of the Year and millionaire will perform in what will likely be her last dance in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Saturday before she goes through the ring on Nov. 4 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. "This is probably one of the hardest things I've done in...

Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, a perennial leading sire, will relocate to Frank Stronach's Adena Springs Farm in Aurora, Ontario Canada for what is most likely his final year at stud, Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa announced Monday. "I want to thank Frank Stronach for the privilege of standing Ghostzapper at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa," said John Sikura. "It has been our honor to stand this outstanding sire and exceptional breed-shaping stallion. His record at stud will influence the breed for generations. At this point in his career, Ghostzapper...

Four years ago, Baoma Corp's Susan and Charles Chu sent their three-time Grade I-winning star filly Bast (Uncle Mo) through the ring at the Fasig-Tipton 'Night of the Stars' Sale. Carrying her first foal by Justify, she brought down the house when she sold to Spendthrift Farm for $4.2 million. This year, the Chus will send two more mares from their distinguished program to Fasig-Tipton's November Sale. Private Mission (Into Mischief) and Eda (Munnings) were both selected by agent Donato Lanni for Baoma Corp's racing stable and they developed into...

'TDN Rising Star' and GISW Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo--Borealis Night, by Astrology) will stand at Hill 'n' Dale next season for a fee of $30,000 Live Foal, the farm announced Friday. A sales-topping $2.3 million purchase from the 2022 Ocala Breeders' April 2-Year-Old Sale, Arabian Knight became a 'Rising Star' on Breeders' Cup day that year at Keeneland, where he drew clear to win by 7 1/4 lengths in 1:21.98. In his second start, the Zedan Racing Stables'-owned colt won the GIII Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park by 5 1/2...

GISW Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo-Borealis Night, by Astrology), has been retired from racing and will stand at Hill 'n' Dale, according to a farm release Monday. Sold for $250,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Sale, the Corser Thoroughbreds bred colt brought a sale-topping $2.3 million from Zedan Racing at the OBS Spring Sale the following season. "He showed his brilliance from day one of the 2YO sale where he was a man amongst boys. We knew he was special from the moment we saw him. He has what I love...

If there has ever been a quintessential Saturday afternoon sire--as well as Breeders' Cup sire and champion sire--Curlin would have to be at the top of the list. He tends to churn out top-level horses at a dizzying rate. "Not to take anything away from other great stallions, but I don't believe Curlin is second to anybody when you speak of Grade I performers and accomplishments," said John Sikura, who stands the 2007-08 Horse of the Year at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. "If you think of the Breeders' Cup,...

The mighty Curlin's heir apparent might be a son standing alongside him at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. Your average young stallion doesn't usually follow up a first-crop Classic winner with another one in his second crop. To be fair, your average young stallion doesn't often have a Classic winner at all. Good Magic is quickly proving he is not your average young stallion. "Classic horses are certainly the peak, the goal of anyone who breeds, sells, or owns, or even stands stallions," said Hill 'n' Dale's John Sikura, who...

William Johnson Bloodstock secured the day's top lot on Day 2 of the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale when lot 297, an imposing daughter of the Champion Sire I Am Invincible, was knocked down for A$800,000 on behalf of Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. The fact that this is one of Australia's most prolific black-type families was not lost on this filly's new owners, with William Johnson explaining that the Sikura family of Hill 'n' Dale have been keen to tap into the best Australian bloodlines. "Racing...

When Domestic Product (Practical Joke) bullied his way through traffic to get his nose in front in the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby Saturday, he not only earned valuable qualifying points to the GI Kentucky Derby, he also provided a timely update for his half-sister who is scheduled to sell during the first session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales' Company's March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale Tuesday. "She's been very popular today, let's put it that way," Becky Thomas said of the filly from the first crop of Complexity (hip...