Vekoma

During Tuesday's session of the Keeneland November Sale, a pair of horses secured final bids of $130,000 to top the ninth day of selling. After a pair of weanlings by Vekoma led sessions earlier in the week, a colt by the Spendthrift stallion once again headed the leaderboard Tuesday. Christina R. Jelm, agent, purchased Hip 3178, who was consigned by Eaton Sales, agent. The grey is out of Gypsy Grey (Giant's Causeway), and from the family of Grade I/Group 1 winners Chief Honcho and Poet's Voice and Grade III-winner Gemswick...

The Book 4 section of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale concluded Sunday with figures largely in line with the same book in 2021. For the second day in a row, a weanling by Spendthrift's first-crop stallion Vekoma (hip 2355) topped proceedings when selling for $290,000 to Oreo Racing. The colt was consigned by Brookdale Sales on behalf of breeder Susan Anderson. "He was leggy and attractive and a good size," said Brookdale's Joe Seitz. "He looks like he will shape out to be a really nice yearling next year....

A filly from the first crop of MGISW Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) (Hip 2205) shot to the top of the class late in Saturday's opening session of Book 4 of the Keeneland November Sale, bringing $215,000 from Frankie's Stable. Consigned by Grovendale Sales, she was bred by William Humphries and Altair Farms. The chestnut is out of Truckstop Diamond (Flat Out), a half-sister to SW & GISP Meadow Dance (Jimmy Creed). "She is a superstar physical," said Grovendale's Chance Timm. "Those kind bring a premium and breakout." This is the...

Grade I winner Blue Stripe (Arg) (Equal Stripes {Arg}) is among four supplements to the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. They will be catalogued as hips 313-316. Finest Work (Outwork) (Hip 313): A 4-year-old stakes winner, she is out of a half-sister to GISW Burning Roma and to the dam of champion Finest City. Offered as a racing/broodmare prospect by Paramount Sales, agent. Weanling filly by Vekoma o/o Honey Trap (Hip 314): Filly is a half-sister to recent GII Jessamine S. winner Delight (Mendelssohn). Consigned by Stuart Morris, agent. A G Indy...

With the 2022 breeding season underway, we continue to feature a series of breeders' mating plans. Today we have Jake Bennett of Pike Place Farm. "My wife, Jaclyn, and I have just recently moved to Kentucky to start up our breeding operation," said Bennett. "We have a small farm in Georgetown with four broodmares (three that we will get bred this year), a retired gelding (that I joke is my wife's horse), one yearling that we are preparing to sell this fall after acquiring him at the Keeneland November sale,...

Spendthrift Farm's Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}), winner of the GI Met Mile and GI Carter H. is represented by his first foal, a filly that was born early Saturday at Crowning Point Farm in Paris, Kentucky. "She's a nice filly, we thought she was a colt because of how big she was from a maiden mare," said Julie Rini of Crowning Point. "She has a nice shoulder and hip, good bone and appears to be correct. We are very happy." Bred by Loren Nichols, the bay is the first foal...

Even last year, when doing so much to fortify breeders through the uncertainties of the pandemic, stallion farms appeared to price their rookies to squeeze the usual juice from the commercial market's greatest addiction. That was fair enough. Nowadays farm accountants can bank only on the most fleeting of vogues in drawing up a business plan for stallion acquisitions. And nor can we sensibly expect any slack now, pending the arrival of first foals and then a debut at the weanling sales next fall. A stallion has to be in...

Candy Ride (Arg), by Ride the Rails from Candy Girl (Arg), by Candy Stripes, came from Argentina, where he was a champion miler, and quickly established himself as both a high-class racehorse with a win in the Gl Pacific Classic and as a sire here in a similar way that Forli (Arg) and Lord At War (Arg) did before him. Make no mistake, it was quite a feat, because South American-bred racehorses, no matter how successful they are on the track in North America, most often whiff at stud in...

Spendthrift Farm's Horse of the Year and Champion sophomore Authentic (Into Mischief) and Eclipse finalist Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) have had their first mares confirmed in foal. The winner of last season's GI Kentucky Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Classic stands his initial season for $75,000 S&N, while dual Grade I-winning Vekoma is standing for a fee of $20,000 S&N in 2021. From his official first day of breeding Feb. 10, Authentic has had two mares reported in foal--Aguilera (Unbridled's Song), dam of multiple stakes winner Bluegrass Singer, and stakes...

While there's never one fool-proof indicator for determining stallion potential, Spendthrift Farm has found one race that they feel consistently produces winners who draw their attention. In the past four years, they've welcomed a trio of GI Metropolitan H. victors to their stud barn. First was Mor Spirit (Eskendereya), the first Grade I-winning two-year-old to later win the Met Mile since Holy Bull in 1994. Then came Mitole, another son of Eskendereya who would go on to be named the 2019 Eclipse Champion Male Sprinter. This year, they welcome a...

Authentic (Into Mischief), winner of the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic; 'TDN Rising Star' Improbable (City Zip), a dual Grade I winner and runner-up in the Classic; and Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), who capped a four-for-four season with a second victory in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, are the finalists for 2020 Horse of the Year as Eclipse Award finalists were announced Saturday on TVG. Authentic is one of three individual Eclipse finalists in four separate categories for the all-conquering Into Mischief, whose daughter Gamine was...

Welcome to our annual survey of covering options in Kentucky for the forthcoming breeding season. As usual, we'll start with the rookies and work our way through the preceding intakes, before trying to eke out some value among the more established stallions. A wholly subjective exercise, clearly--so apologies if your fellow doesn't make our "value podium." Every farm is understandably sensitive about the reputation of its stallions, for whom opportunity can be so fleeting and about whom fashions can swell or fade on the flimsiest grounds. We'll do our best...