Tonalist

Somehow this is a real sweet spot in the market. For a stallion farm, the $10,000 cover is a particular pitch: you're a cent away from offering a horse at four figures, but you feel that dropping him into a low-rent neighborhood might be beneath his dignity. You're offering a very accessible fee, but you're not going to let him look cheap. That makes this a surprisingly congested zone, ample for separate assessment. And since clinging to a five-figure fee somewhat represents a show of faith, some of these sires...

Elliott Walden has nothing but confidence in WinStar Farm's two new stallion recruits for 2024 and he has the numbers to show it. The speedy Two Phil's (Hard Spun) posted some eye-catching figures this year as a 3-year-old, including 105 Beyer Speed Figures in both the GIII Ohio Derby and his runner-up performance in the GI Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile his new studmate Country Grammer (Tonalist), winner of the G1 Dubai World Cup, retired as the third highest-earning North American-bred horse of all time--behind great company in Arrogate and Gun Runner--...

As the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale continued into its second week Wednesday in Lexington, figures for the auction continued to fall well off 2022 statistics. Through eight sessions, 1,873 horses have sold for $173,925,300 for an average of $92,859 and a median of $40,000. The average is down 17.57% from the corresponding figure from 2022, while the median is down 20.00%. The buy-back rate remained largely steady through eight sessions as 558 horses were reported not sold for a buy-back rate of 22.95%. It was 23.08% a year ago....

2022 G1 Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer (Tonalist) has been retired at the age of six. He will stand the 2024 season at WinStar Farm for an introductory fee of $10,000 LFSN. Campaigned by Commonwealth, WinStar Farm, and Zedan Racing, the Bob Baffert-trained colt started three times this year, finishing second for the second year in a row in the G1 Saudi Cup but failing to hit the board in both his Dubai World Cup defense and the GII Hollywood Gold Cup S. May 29. Bought for just $110,000...

Blue Rose Farm's Arcangelo (Arrogate), last-out winner of the GIII Peter Pan S., worked five furlongs in 1:02.81 (2/5) at Belmont Park Wednesday in preparation for the June 10 GI Belmont S. New York Racing Association clockers caught the grey galloping out six-furlongs in 1:15 4/5 and seven-furlongs in 1:28 4/5. Javier Castellano was in the irons. "He's a nice, beautiful-moving horse and he did it easy. He's a good work horse. In the morning, you can work him :59 if you wanted," Castellano said. "We all know that [the...

'TDN Rising Star' Tapit Trice (Tapit), a latest seventh to Mage (Good Magic) in the GI Kentucky Derby May 6, went five furlongs in 1:00.22 over a fast Belmont main track Friday morning in his penultimate work ahead of the GI Belmont S. at Big Sandy June 10. He galloped out three-quarters of a mile in a strong 1:12.60 and was up seven furlongs in 1:25. "Super breeze, big gallop out," trainer Todd Pletcher said following the work. "He seems to really like the main track here. I'm very, very...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- Brooke Hubbard remembers the 2018 Keeneland September Sale almost as if it happened yesterday. A little past the midway point of the sixth day of bidding in Lexington, hip 1683--a colt from the first crop of Tonalist and offered by Dermot and Emma Quinn's Garrencasey Sales--walked into the back ring and immediately caught Hubbard's attention. A few minutes and $60,000 later, the May 11 foal was hers. "I bid twice and I was looking around thinking, 'Oh, my gosh, I must have missed something that...

Root Cause (f, 3, Into Mischief--Vertical Vision {MSW, $202,979), by Pollard's Vision), second at Saratoga Aug. 14 last season in a 1 1/16-mile turf maiden which yielded SP Towhead (Malibu Moon), SP Beauitfulnavigator (Ire) (Expert Eye {GB}), and SP Forever Dixie (Quality Road), made it look effortless here en route to 'TDN Rising Star'-dom at 1-5 favoritism in her 2023 bow over Gulfstream Park grass. Breaking well but in no hurry to challenge the eager early speed, Root Cause stalked from the two path in third through the first bend....

And so we come to the abyss: that giddy phase between launching your first juveniles and being able to claim a viable niche in this most unforgiving of marketplaces. Yes, for those few young stallions that do manage to seize their fleeting opportunity, a narrow path can rise rapidly towards lucrative heights. Most of the others, however, find themselves clinging to a crumbling ledge. Whatever you do, don't look down! It's easy to disparage the robotic tendencies of the commercial market. Too easy, certainly, for me to have neglected the...

Following their performances in the GI Dubai World Cup, beaten favorite Life Is Good (Into Mischief) and race winner Country Grammer (Tonalist) are on their way to WinStar Farm for a freshening before they return to serious training. WinStar President and CEO Elliott Walden estimated that their stay at the farm will last from 30 to 45 days. WinStar is the co-owner of both horses. Colonel Liam (Liam's Map), who finished ninth in the GI Dubai Turf, is also being sent to WinStar. The heavy favorite in the wagering, Life...

With the 2022 breeding season right around the corner, we will feature a series of breeders' mating plans over the coming weeks. Today we have Erin Fisher of Harper Ridge Thoroughbreds. "All my horses are crossed with stallions that I feel will throw appealing and sound horses that can provide second and third careers off the track and provide longevity to the breed," said Fisher. "I look for soundness and attitude with the idea that my foals can have long futures in any discipline after racing." APPEALING WAY (m, 8,...

This can be a terrifying business. Here we are, for the first time in this series, assessing stallions that have at least put some sophomores through the starting gate. And already, commercially, the game appears to be up for many. So much so, in fact, that to give adequate competitive depth to our value podium, we're going to combine the consecutive intakes who were in 2021 respectively contesting the second- and third-crop championships. Here's just one example of how ruthless the market is. I won't name the stallion, because he...