Violence

With the smoking hot sire Violence picking up another Grade I win, with Volatile in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. at Saratoga, John Sikura has a lot to talk about and a lot to be happy about. The President of Hill 'n' Dale Farms, where Violence stands, has seen that stallion's career get off to a fast start, slow down and now take off again. Sikura joined the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland to discuss Violence's recent accomplishments, the decision to bring in Kantharos and his thoughts on...

Hill 'n' Dale Farm President John Sikura joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to talk hot sire Violence, his thoughts on the Jockey Club's decision to impose a 140-mare cap, and more.

Sent off the prohibitive 2-5 chalk while making his first appearance in Grade I company, Three Chimneys Farm and Phoenix Thoroughbreds' Volatile (Violence) fell out onto the lead, enjoyed a soft time of things on the engine and turned it on late to post a 1 1/4-length victory in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. at Saratoga. The Vanderbilt was reduced to a field of four by the gate scratching of Lexitonian (Speightstown), who was unlikely to have a say in the finish, but who may have set or otherwise...

As his name suggests, there appear to be no half measures with Violence. He had, let's face it, suddenly been under a bit of pressure. It was only last year that Hill 'n' Dale had been able to hoist his fee from $25,000 to $40,000, his first sophomores having confirmed him as the most glamorous stallion in his intake: clear top of the class in 2018 by earnings, winners, stakes winners/performers, graded stakes horses. Having started out at $15,000, he had just processed his third crop of yearlings for an...

ELMONT, NY -- 'TDN Rising Star' No Parole (Violence) exited his rail draw with his mind on business, and ran four quality rivals off their feet to collect a first top-level score in Saturday's GI Woody Stephens S. at Belmont Park. The Louisiana-bred cruised on the front end through an opening quarter in :22.31 with slightly favored 'Rising Star' Meru (Sky Mesa) and GIII Gotham S. winner Mischevious Alex (Into Mischief) giving chase in second and third. Mischevious Alex made his move into second and the turning- back 'TDN Rising...

The lightly raced and flashy Volatile was pounded in the wagering and showed exactly why as he continues to build a set of past performances that look awfully similar to former stablemate at last year's champion sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya). Drawn six of six in a field with plenty of speed on paper, the overwhelming chalk perched three wide off the early pace of :21.48 set by the fleet Bobby's Wicked One (Speightstown) and was poised to pounce while deep at the entrance to the stretch as the half-mile was up...

3rd-Belmont, $62,080, Msw, 6-3, 2yo, 5f, :58.42, gd. PRISONER (c, 2, Violence--Al Max Diner {SW, $131,226}, by End Sweep) denied the overly hyped Fauci (Malibu Moon) to graduate on debut in New York's first baby race of the year. Seizing the early advantage, the 6-5 second-choice dueled with favored Fauci through a :22.54 opening quarter and into the far turn. Prisoner shrugged off his foe in the stretch, cruising clear to a dominant 4 3/4-length victory. The winner is a half to Manuka Honey (Borrego), SW & MGSP, $177,084. Stakes...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols 3rd-BEL $64k, MSW, 2yo, 5f, post time: 2:23 p.m. The timely named FAUCI (Malibu Moon) is the 4-5 morning-line favorite in the first 2-year-old race of the year in New York. Trained by Wesley Ward for Lindy Farms and Ice Wine Stable, the bay colt was a $175,000 KEESEP yearling. The race also includes a pair of graduates of the recent OBS March sale. Kelly Breen saddles Garoppolo (Outwork), who was purchased by Mr Amore Stable for $125,000 following a :21 1/5 quarter-mile work in Ocala....

Hailing from the same shedrow of Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen isn't the only thing that recent, ultra-impressive Oaklawn Park winners Casual (f, 3, by Curlin) and Volatile (c, 4, by Violence) have in common. The promising duo--both bred in Kentucky by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. and Stretch Run Ventures, LLC--trace their lineage back to the millionaire and brilliant two-time Saratoga Grade I winner and the Asmussen-trained Lady Tak (Mutakddim). After acquiring an interest privately in the GI Test S. and GI Ballerina H. heroine from owners...

9th-Oaklawn, $62,000, Alw (NW2$X)/Opt. Clm ($40,000), 4-24, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:08.48, ft. VOLATILE (c, 4, Violence--Melody Lady {SW}, by Unbridled's Song), a first-out winner at Ellis last July, came up 1 1/4-lengths short at Churchill Downs in September before rebounding to win by three lengths back at that venue Nov. 3. Sent off the 6-5 choice this time, the grey prompted Strike That (Biondetti) through crisp opening splits, assumed control turning for home and ran off to score by an eye-opening 7 1/2-length margin. Strike That finished 1 ½ lengths ahead...

The number-one sophomore sire of 2018, Violence took a step backward last year. It happens. The problem is that the marketplace can be unforgiving and ready to move on from any stallion that isn't the hottest of commodities. So Hill 'n' Dale was proactive, dropping Violence's stud fee from $40,000 to $25,000. At that price, he may go down as one of the best bargains among all stallions this year. "Last year, we had some bad luck on the racetrack," said Hill 'n' Dale President John Sikura. "A few horses...

Tom Amoss has taken this slowly with No Parole (Violence), allowing him to progress through the restricted Louisiana-bred ranks. But it's likely on to bigger and better for the colt, who posted a third consecutive dominating victory in annexing his first two-turn test in Saturday's Louisana Premier Night Prince S. at Delta Downs. Drawn outside in a field of six, No Parole found his way to the front with a minimum of fuss and settled very kindly through an internal second quarter mile that was timed in nearly 26 seconds....