Marette Farrell

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) released its full 2026 schedule in addition to the opening of registration for the 2026 Pedigree & Conformation Clinic, sponsored by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association which takes place Mar. 9-10, 2026, at Ocala Breeders' Sales (OBS) in Ocala, Florida. Registration is now open on the TOBA website, and to view the full clinic schedule, click here. The 2026 clinic will feature Mark Casse, a Hall of Fame trainer, who will be presenting during the clinic and sharing his expertise on...

$3.7-Million Lush Lips Tops Book 1 by Jessica Martini, Christina Bossinakis, & Alan Carasso LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale blitzed through its opening session Tuesday with 17 offerings--including a pair of weanlings--selling for $1 million or more and figures up dramatically from the auction's Book 1 session in 2024. "It was a really strong day," said Keeneland President Shannon Arvin. "The broodmare market was very, very strong. We had 15 who brought $1 million or more, seven of those brought $2 million or more. The weanling...

The Jockey Club has announced the election of 10 new members. In alphabetical order, they are: Craig Bernick: president and CEO of Glen Hill Farm, as well as president of the Lavin Family Foundation Peter M. Brant: founder of White Birch Paper Company in addition to a magazine publisher, philanthropist, art collector, and film producer Boyd T. Browning, Jr.: president and CEO of Fasig-Tipton Case Clay: founder of Case Clay Thoroughbred Management Dennis Drazin: CEO of Darby Development, the operator of Monmouth Park; president of Drazin & Warshaw; and chair...

Ben Bernhard, Shannon Griffin, and Mandy Pope have been named to the Board of Directors of the Thoroughbred Charities of America. The three newly elected directors join current board members Carrie Brogden, Lesley Campion (vice president), Marette Farrell (secretary), Torie Gladwell, Marshall Gramm (treasurer), Ryan Mahan, Mike McMahon (president), Dan Metzger, Leah O'Meara, Liam O'Rourke, Morgan Richardson, Cathy Shircliff, Brook Smith, and Jesse Ullery. Gretchen Jackson, Ellen Moelis and Dan Rosenberg are directors emeriti. Thoroughbred Charities of America was formed in 1990 by Allaire duPont and Herb and Ellen Moelis...

When Speedway Stables LLC spent $900,000 at OBS April in 2023 for a daughter of Nyquist, a 4-year-old campaign and perfect record probably weren't the first things on Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner's minds. But, nearly two years later, it's likely the partners in Speedway are not upset with a little delayed gratification, as Cavalieri (Nyquist)'s victory Saturday in the $300,000 GI B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile Stakes at Santa Anita made her the newest Grade I winner in their barn. Off at even money, Cavalieri broke in an even...

Tom Mullikin, who runs Mullikin Farm with his wife Michelle, admits he doesn't have the assets to compete at the highest level of the breeding business. "I'm the son of a Washington DC deputy fire chief and Michelle is the daughter of a retired air force pilot," Mullikin said. "We are not working off a trust fund. We're mom and pop. We do everything ourselves, from foaling mares to mucking stalls. A lot of the mares we get are handed down or gifted to us." That's not the easiest way...

TIMONIUM, MD - Despite a smaller catalogue, the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearling Sale produced an average and median in line with its 2023 edition Tuesday at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. "It was fine. It wasn't exceptional, it wasn't terrible. It was a solid day of work," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. at the close of business Tuesday. "There was significant demand for what were perceived to be the better horses. The lower end, the horses that were either considered conformationally lacking or were lacking in terms of...

Brook Smith and Carrie Brogden have been appointed to the board of directors of Thoroughbred Charities of America, the organization announced Wednesday. Current directors Marette Farrell and Marshall Gramm were named secretary and treasurer, respectively. Smith is a resident of Louisville, Kentucky. After graduating from Clemson University with a degree in finance, he returned to Kentucky and launched a career in the insurance industry, as a broker with his agency Smith Manus (now Acrisure) and as a partner in Lexon Insurance Group. He is a serial entrepreneur and big supporter...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, which opened Monday with figures on pace for a third year of records, concluded Tuesday with an electric session which demolished the sale's previous high for gross, average, and median. At the close of business Tuesday, 154 yearlings sold for $82,160,000--highest ever in the auction's 103-year history, surpassing the previous record of $75,055,000 set last year. The average of $533,506 also improved on the 2023 record figure of $487,370, while the median of $425,000 bettered the...

by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm OCALA, FL - The action picked up noticeably during the second session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and, with the auction's first seven-figure offering leading the way, figures concluded above 2023 levels Wednesday evening. "It was an excellent day," OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski said at the close of business Wednesday. "As I said yesterday, there are plenty of good horses left to be sold and obviously that was borne out today. Quality horses sell well...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - With a pair of colts topping the seven-figure mark, the tempo picked up during the second session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Wednesday. With 144 horses sold Wednesday for $25,488,000, the session average was $177,000--up 6.2% from last year's corresponding session--and the median of $87,500 declined 2.8% from a year ago. The buy-back rate was 31.8%. "I thought it was a very good session," said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. "It felt like...

A colt by Practical Joke led the way Wednesday, kicking off Book 5 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in Lexington. Consigned by Bluewater Sales, Hip 2980 is out of Jetbird (Wildcat Heir), a half-sister to Group 1 winner X Y Jet (Kantharos). "We were prepared [for the $250,000 price] because of the entire package," said CJ Thoroughbred's Corey Johnson. "We felt between $200,000-$250,000 was what it was going to take to purchase him. We were expecting somewhere around that number." On Day 9, Ashford's Practical Joke was the second...