Price Bell

Oscar Performance (Kitten's Joy--Devine Actress, by Theatrical {Ire}) will stand for $60,000 in 2026, up from $45,000 this season, according to a Mill Ridge Farm release Wednesday. The 11-year-old stallion is expected to serve a limited book of approximately 170 mares (140 foals) in 2026. "Oscar Performance had another exceptional year led by Grade I winner World Beater, owned by Pin Oak Stud, trained by Riley Mott and bred by Dr. John Chandler," said Mill Ridge's Price Bell. "Remarkably, he is ranked #2 on the General Sire List with GSH...

Robert Hunt, a respected veterinarian at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, passed away Thursday after a bout with cancer. Dr. Hunt graduated from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine in 1984. From 1984 to 1987 he worked at the Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center in Santa Ynez, California. He returned to the University of Georgia in 1987 to complete his surgical training and graduate degree in cardiovascular physiology. He paid his way through school by taking a job as a farrier. Dr. Hunt remained on faculty and became a...

Calvin Nguyen always figured that he and his brother Joey Tran had found their once-in-a-lifetime horse right out of the gate. In 1999, they claimed their very first runner for $32,000. Freedom Crest turned that gamble into a 13-race in-the-money streak, climbing his way into graded company and making it to the 2001 Breeders' Cup Classic. But two decades later, a filly who was never supposed to run in their silks has proven that she is worth her weight in silver—literally. The grey Twirling Candy filly named Ag Bullet has...

A turf horse launching his stud career at the age of nine might go against the stallion market grain in Kentucky, but Mill Ridge Farm has already shown a knack for bucking those trends and doing so successfully. After all, it was only three years ago that Oscar Performance was standing for just $12,500 and bred only 63 mares. This year, the 2024 leading third-crop sire of graded stakes winners by percentage of starters has a sold-out book heading into the season as he commands a fee of $45,000. So...

It has been just over a year since Light Up Racing (LUR), inspired by the Australian-based initiative Kick Up for Racing, was launched in an effort to 'illuminate the path to transparency, awareness and accountability in horse racing' in the United States. As Light Up Racing's pilot year has come to a close, it's safe to say the grassroots initiative has not only become a necessary voice in changing the industry narrative, but also in bridging the gap between those within the industry and those outside of it. "As an...

Light Up Racing has launched a Spanish translation feature on their website with the intent to make resources even more accessible to the entire horse racing community, the organization said on Thursday in a press release. The Spanish version can be accessed by clicking the flag icon located in the top right corner of the screen on the website. By offering this option, Light Up aims to bridge language barriers across the industry. "At Light Up Racing, we're focused on empowering industry members to confidently engage in tough conversations," said...

Mill Ridge Farm extends an invitation to join them starting on Thursday, Nov. 7 through Nov. 14, for their stallion open house from 12:00 to 2 p.m. ET daily, the farm said via a press release on Thursday. The three horse roster on display features MGISW Oscar Performance (by Kitten's Joy), whose stud fee is listed at $45,000 LF. The third-crop sire stands alongside millionaire GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Aloha West (by Hard Spun), who is listed at $8,500 LF. Newly-added to the slate this year is four-time Grade...

Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed), a two-time winner of the GI Fourstardave H. at Saratoga and GI Jaipur S. at Belmont Park, will command a $10,000 stud fee in his first season at stud at Mill Ridge Farm in 2025, it was announced Thursday. "He showed up for every race and was beaten only once more than four lengths in his (28) graded stakes--what a brilliant racehorse and one who will contribute to our breed," said Mill Ridge's General Manager Price Bell. With five graded stakes winners this year, Oscar Performance...

When Jon Clay bought Strong Incentive for his Alpha Delta Stables for $2.15 million at last year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale, she had already produced Grade III winner and track-record holder Highly Motivated (Into Mischief), now a stallion at Airdrie Stud; two-time Grade III winner Surge Capacity (Flintshire {GB}); and an up-and-coming `TDN Rising Star' named Ways and Means (Practical Joke), who had run second in the Grade I Spinaway Stakes. Within a month of his purchase, Surge Capacity won the Grade I Matriarch, and by the following summer, Ways and...

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...

If the weather in Saratoga Springs of late is any indication of what's to come at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion Monday and Tuesday evenings, the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale is poised for a volcanic renewal. In 2023, a total of 154 yearlings sold for $75,055,000, averaging $487,370 with a median of 375,000. The gross jumped from $66,955,000 generated for 143 sold in 2022. "The vibe feels good here," confirmed Taylor Made's Frank Taylor. "Everybody you would want to see in the courtyard, you would have seen walk in. The horses...

Following its launch phase in the U.S. in April, 2024, Light Up Racing will launch Phase 2 of its program, which includes further website development and new personnel, the organizers announced in a press release Sunday, "The initial phase highlighted the crucial need for transparency and effective communication within the racing industry, with millions turning to LUR for reliable updates and insights," the company said in the release. "LUR is ready to build on this success, driving further innovation and progress in the months ahead. During Phase 1, Light Up...