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Kirkwood Graduate News | Kirkwood Grade 1 Graduates Slide Show | Kirkwood Prepared Horses Results
2013 News
1/26/13 - Average Surges at Cape Town Yearling Sale
Courtesy of the BloodHorseA number of international buyers were active, including Ed Dunlop, Grant Pritchard-Gordon, Kip Elser, Peter Doyle, and Shadwell Stables buying at least one horse apiece. Kirkwood Stables' Kip Elser purchased lot 84, a colt named Malta Rocks from the first crop of former South African group I winner Seventh Rock (Rock of Gibraltar) out of the group I-placed mare Valeta (Var).
Elser found the market in South Africa to be following general trends.
"The sale seems strong," Elser said. "The interim averages are up. In South Africa it is the same story as throughout the world. The racehorse is an international commodity, and as the supply has shrunk, demand has risen."
1/25/13 - Elser Falls for a Tapit at the CAPE PREMIER YEARLING SALE in South Africa...
Courtesy of the TDN
After a sluggish start to the second session, Kip Elser could not resist signing for a lovely grey filly by Tapit out of the Orientate mare Charmz. From the female family of multiple champion Harry's Charm (SAf), lot 136 was knocked down to Elser for a mere R700 000 ($78,359).
For Elser the equation was a simple one. "She is a great mover and the 2nd dam was a champion!" he said. Mike Sharkey, manager of vendor Highlands Farm Stud explained the low purchase price.
"The buyer clearly appreciates and understands the sire better than the local market. She is a lovely filly from a good solid South African family and definitely well bought."2012 News
11/4/12 - Consisgned by Balmorat Stud, as agent for West Point Thoroughbreds, the handsome colt by Var named Variety Romp was snapped up by leading Gauteng based trainer, Charles Laird. So far he is the sales topper fetching R1.6 million.
La Cloche Comes With Late Kick in Athenia
Courtesy of the Blood-Horse
By Claire NovakPhillips Racing Partnership's homebred La Cloche came flying with a tremendous late kick to win the $150,000 Athenia Stakes (gr. IIIT) by 1 1/4 lengths at Belmont Park Oct. 13, her first graded score .
The 5-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper , half sister to the recently retired multiple grade I winner Winter Memories, completed 1 1/16 miles on an inner turf course rated "good" in 1:45.15 under jockey Junior Alvarado.
"John (Phillips) will be thrilled about the graded stakes win," remarked trainer Jim Toner. "That's all we've heard: 'Gotta get a graded stakes, gotta get a graded stakes, gotta get a graded stakes!' Thank God, maybe she can get out of her sister's shadow for a change. We're really happy for her."
It was The Underling who showed the way in the Athenia, powering through slow splits of :25.16 and :50.27 followed by Thundering Emilla, Law of the Range, and Laughing. Laughing was hard-held by jockey Cornelio Velasquez and was rank through much of the early going while La Cloche was a well-reserved sixth and then seventh in the eight-horse field.
"I just was waiting for my chance to move outside because she never runs one step on the inside," Alvarado said. "That was pretty much what I was trying to work out first. She was able to swing outside by the quarter pole, and after that I won't say it was really easy, but she took off. She really helped me and gave me a nice kick at the end."
Powering off the turn after three-quarters in 1:15.29, where La Cloche was still seventh, it was the closing Embarr who stuck a nose in front. But when roused to the task midstretch, La Cloche burst into another gear down the center of the track and rapidly overpowered the leaders to get the win.
"Junior rode a great race," Toner said, "he really did. He just waited and waited and tipped her outside. She's got to get outside, and she exploded at the end. This filly is difficult to ride; you have to know her. If everything goes right for her, she can get the job done."
Sent off at odds of 9-2, La Cloche returned $11, $6.10, and $4 while Embarr paid $18.80 and $9.20 and Laughing brought $4.20. Ruthena, the 6-5 choice, was fourth, followed by Martita Sangrita, Law of the Range, Thundering Emilla, and The Underling. Dealbata scratched.
La Cloche was bred in Kentucky out of the multiple grade I stakes-winning Silver Hawk mare Memories of Silver and improved her record to five wins and three seconds from 18 starts, with earnings of $298,883Written Word,g, 4 ( Quiet American - Cable News, by Known Fact) broke his maiden in an ARCA (AMATUEUR RIDERS CLUB OF AMERICA) race at Delaware Park. He is a homebred for Kirkwood's owner Christopher (Kip) L. Elser. Kip participated in ARCA and was once an ARCA Champion.
8/22/112 - Bourbon Lane Stable's BOURBON TWIST (f, 2, Langfuhr-Pammie From Miami, by Cozzene), a $72,000 SARAUG yearling purchase, stamped herself as one to watch with an impressive debut versus state-breds over the Saratoga lawn. Backed at 5-2, Bourbon Twist raced toward the back in sixth through easy fractions of :25.80 and :50.47. With Ramon Dominguez aboard, she made an eye-catching sweeping move while four wide on the turn for home to hit the front and kept on rolling down the stretch to graduate by a good-looking 4 1/4 lengths over stablemate The Lady Says Yes (Scat Daddy). She was bred by Christopher Elser and is trained by Chad C Brown.
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $39,000.7/26/12 - Winter Memories Accelerates to Win Diana
Courtesy of the Blood-HorsePhillips Racing Partnership’s homebred Winter Memories, a gray/roan daughter of El Prado, accelerated coming off the second turn and continued on for an impressive victory in the $600,000 Diana Handicap (gr. IT) over a good turf course at Saratoga Race Course (VIDEO) .
The 8-5 favorite in a six-horse field of older fillies and mares, Winter Memories showed her affinity for the Saratoga turf as she posted her third win in four starts over the grass at the Spa. With her eighth victory in 12 starts, the 4-year-old filly improved her bankroll to $1,268,100 for trainer James Toner.
Tapitsfly, a Dale Romans-trained daughter of Tapit who was coming off an impressive 2 1/4-length victory over Winter Memories in the grade I Just a Game Handicap, took the early lead as expected in the 1 1/8-mile Diana, while being closely tracked by longshot Law of The Range and Zagora.
The order remained unchanged down the backside and into the second turn, as Tapitsfly set a moderate pace of :23.31 and :47.56 under jockey Joel Rosario. Winter Memories, meanwhile, was content to lay just behind the top three, but never more than four lengths off the leader. The pace quickened as the field negotiated the far turn and Winter Memories began her move on the outside as Tapitsfly continued to lead after six furlongs had been completed in 1:11.27.
With Tapitsfly fading as the field negotiated the grandstand straight the second time, Winter Memories accelerated coming out of the second turn, drawing off to lead by two lengths before hitting the wire 1 1/2 lengths in front of Dream Peace, ridden by Julien Leparoux, and Zagora, under Ramon Dominguez. Final time was 1:48.50.
Winter Memories paid $5.50, $3.40, $2.60. Dream Peace was worth $6.40 and $3.70, with Zagora worth $3.00.
Toner said the lack of pace meant Castellano had Winter Memories up closer to the leaders because the winner’s connections did not want to let Tapitsfly get too far out on the lead.
“There was no pace,” the trainer said. “I think we were closer due to the way the race was shaping up. I just left it in Javier (Castellano’s) hands and said, ‘Just do what you want to do, but I wouldn’t let (Tapitsfly) get too far away from us today.’”
“I was aware (speed had been doing well on the turf.) It didn’t make me feel any better going into it. I saw that and said, ‘Oh, this is not good.’ But I do think (Law of the Range) put a little pressure on (Tapitsfly), and Javi just got after her a little bit sooner.”
“I was concerned a little bit because it was a small field,” Castellano said. “I would have liked to cover her up a little bit at the beginning of the race. There wasn’t much speed in the race. That was my concern. It worked out great. It was amazing. She was able to cover up. She was able to finish so well today. Tapitsfly took advantage the last time (in the Just a Game). There was not much speed in that race and it was a short distance. Today was my opportunity. My filly is a 1 1/8-mile or a 1 1/4-mile horse. She likes the two turns. She likes to cover up and she gave me that kick.”
“She likes upstate New York,” said winning owner John Phillips. “It’s a great venue. She is one very, very good horse, and we’re proud to have her. She’s tough. I know one thing about her─she, like the rest of her family, will give her best. It’s a wonderful quality, in people or horses. I almost didn’t know how to handle (her having a clean trip). She was four-wide and trouble-free, and I’m thinking, ‘I’m not sure what’s going to happen here!’ It was quite a move that she made.”
Winter Memories was produced from the Silver Hawk mare Memories of Silver, whose six graded stakes wins included the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (gr. IT) in course record time at Keeneland.
Nicolas de Chambure, of Etreham Farm that owns runner-up Dream Peace, said the French-based filly likely needed the race since it was her first start since May and first in the U.S.
“It was her first time (running) since May, so she probably needed the race,” de Chambure said. “She’s staying in America now (with trainer Chad Brown), so hopefully we’ll be able to pick up a Grade 1 win for her. We’re very happy though, she ran a very good race.”
“She ran really good race,” Leparoux said of the runner-up. “We saved ground along the inside and I had room to go whenever I wanted. Tapitsfly set a good pace for us. But my filly takes a little time to get going. I think more distance will be OK for her.”
Brown, who also trains third-place finisher Zagora, was complimentary of Winter Memories.
“The winner ran a great race,” Brown said. “Ramon (Dominguez) gave me a giant trip on the inside. I hadn’t run her in 10 weeks; I thought I had her ready. Maybe she was just a little short, but it was a tremendous performance, and hats off to the winner.”
“I had a great trip,” Dominguez said. “I was able to sit in the pocket right behind the two leaders. I really had first run at them if I wanted. But I decided to wait a little longer because I saw that the winner at that point was coming with a really strong run. I just felt like I wasn’t going to be able to keep up with her. When I finally got my filly out she came running and was able to be third.”
7/8/12 - LA CLOCHE, m, 5, ( Ghostzapper - Memories of Silver, by Silver Hawk), a half sister to MGSW WINTER MEMORIES, picked up her own black type in the VOODOO DANCER S. at Belmont going a mile on the turf. She came four wide and won going away under a hand ride. Like her half sister, she is a homebred for Phillips Racing Partnership and is trained by James J. Toner.
Lifetime: Starts: 15,Firsts: 4 ,Seconds: 3 Thirds: 0 Earnings: $205,0836/9/12 - WINTER MEMORIES won the Beaugay Stakes - Gr. 3 in May and came back for a strong second in the Just a Game on the Belmont undercard. She is just shy of becoming a new millionaire for her connections the Phillips Racing Partnership
5/27/12 - Kirkwood grads did will in allowance company of the long weekend. Stone Farm homebred SOUND EFFECT, c. 3, ( Rockport Harbor - Vickey's Echo, by Clever Trick) scored at Arlington Park. He has now won two in a row and has earned $67,180 . Once he broke his maiden he seems to have really figured out the game. In this race, he made a middle move and then split horses to get to the wire first going a mile on the turf at Arlington Park. He is trained by Michael Stidham
On the same day at Churchill Downs, SOUTHERN PARKWAY (g, 3, Lemon Drop Kid - Unbridled Appeal, by Unbridled) also won an allowance race going a mile on the turf. Recently he had been second at Gulfstream and third at Keeneland Apr. 13. He stumbled and lost his rider in his last race on May 18. Tucked in behind his rivals in mid pack early he also split rivals in upper stretch and then switched to the outside to run down rivals. He has earned close to $100,000.
5/5/12 - Winter Memories Rolls to Easy Beaugay Victory
Courtesy of the Blood-Horse
Winter Memories comes home strong to win the Beaugay Stakes at Belmont.Grade I winner Winter Memories started her 2012 season in fine form with a 2 1/4-length victory in the $150,000 Beaugay Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Belmont Park May 5, giving jockey Eddie Castro his 2,000th North American victory .
With Castro aboard for the first time in her career, Winter Memories tallied as the 9-10 favorite on a yielding Widener turf course at Belmont. She raced in fourth behind fractions of :49.90 and 1:13.98, brushed with Check the Label while moving outside, and took off after getting the space she needed to easily defeat Gitchee Goomie.
“She relaxed fine in the beginning behind the other horses,” said Castro, a 27-year-old native of Panama who began riding in the United States in 2003. “I knew there was not too much speed, so I had to be right there. With no speed -- the turf is really soft, too -- I had to wait, wait.
"At the top of the stretch, the other horse pushed me in, but I pushed back a little bit. When she was clear and she could run, she took off.”
Winning trainer Jimmy Toner lauded Winter Memories and Castro for their performances in the Beaugay.
“She put in a really nice race,” Toner said. “She really did. You could see they were all just getting ready to box her in there, and (Castro) was patient. When they tried to push him back in, he came back out. Boy, he rode a beautiful race.”
Winter Memories, a 4-year-old daughter of El Prado out of the Silver Hawk mare Memories of Silver, earned her fourth graded-stakes win at Belmont and sixth overall and paid $3.90 for a $2 win wager. The Phillips Racing Partnership homebred completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.87.
The Beaugay was Winter Memories’ first start at Belmont since her dramatic neck win in the Garden City (gr. IT) last September. She concluded her 2011 campaign with a fourth as the favorite in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (gr. IT) in October at Keeneland. Overall, she is 7-1-0 from 10 starts with $808,100 in earnings, including $90,000 for her Beaugay triumph.
Toner said Winter Memories will target the $500,000 Just a Game (gr. IT) June 9, Belmont Stakes day.
Gitchie Goomie, ridden by Alan Garcia, nosed out Principal Role and Junior Albardo for third. They were followed by Federation, Check the Label, and Hessonite. La Cloche, who was coupled with Winter Memories; Check Point; and My Redbyrd were scratched.
Castro, third in the jockey standings at the recently concluded Aqueduct Racetrack spring meet, registered his first North American victory aboard Diamond and Notes on April 23, 2003, at Gulfstream Park. He went on to win 241 more races that year and earned the 2003 Eclipse Award as the nation’s top apprentice jockey despite missing three months.
In 2005, he set a national record when he rode nine winners on a single card at Calder Casino & Race Course. Last year on the NYRA circuit, Castro finished sixth overall with 111 victories, including grade I wins in the TVG Acorn and Coaching Club American Oaks aboard It's Tricky and the Resorts World Casino New York City Wood Memorial with Toby's Corner
4/21/12 - Kirkwood prepared FLASH MASH drives to the wire first in the last couple of jumps of the Giant’s Causeway Stakes at Keeneland
Courtesy of the DRFLEXINGTON, Ky. – Flash Mash was up in the final jumps Saturday to pull a mild upset at 7-1 in the 16th running of the $100,000 Giant’s Causeway Stakes on the Keeneland turf.
.With Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard for trainer Mike Stidham, Flash Mash was notching her first stakes victory in the Giant’s Causeway, a 5 1/2-furlong race that directly preceded the Coolmore Lexington Stakes on a cold and drizzly spring afternoon. The winner nailed Well Deserved in the final strides to prevail by a half-length, returning $17.40 after finishing in 1:03.19 over a course rated firm.“We had a perfect trip,” said Hernandez. “Turning for home, I thought I’d get there. She put herself in perfect position.”
Inspired, the 9-5 favorite, set the pace, but nearing the sixteenth pole she finally was collared and passed by Well Deserved, ridden by Julien Leparoux. Meanwhile, Flash Mash, always in the clear when stalking from her far outside post, set sail with a vengeance, getting up in time for her fifth win from nine career starts. Classy Zip, the 4-1 second choice, was up late to get third from Inspired in the field of 10 fillies and mares. There were three early scratches: Speedacious, Honey Chile, and I Knot.
“She likes that stalking position and Brian rode her great,” said Stidham, who trains Flash Mash, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred by Smarty Jones, for Prime Equestrian.
4/13/12 - PLUM PRETTY Strolls in the Apple Blossom G1
Courtesy of the Blood-Horse
Plum Pretty hadn't been out in more than five months but her class showed through as she strolled to a comfortable win in the $490,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) April 13 at Oaklawn Park (VIDEO).Ridden patiently by Rafael Bejarano, last year's Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner swept past pacesetter Twelve Twenty Two rounding the final bend and opened up an insurmountable advantage over Absinthe Minded in the lane. Plum Pretty, owned by John Fort's Peachtree Stable, cruised home by 2 1/4 lengths under a hand ride in the final eighth as the 1-2 favorite in a short field of five older fillies and mares.
Trainer Bob Baffert won with his first-ever Apple Blossom entrant and has now won with five of six starters at the current Oaklawn meet. The Southern California conditioner sent Fort's Mamma Kimbo to Oaklawn for a dominating win in the Fantasy Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-old fillies April 11.
Absinthe Minded held off second choice Tiz Miz Sue for the runner-up spot. The final time for the 1 1/16-mile event was 1:42.64.
Plum Pretty had not raced since tiring to finish fifth after setting the pace in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (gr. I) Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs. But if the Apple Blossom is any indication, expect the 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d'Oro to be a powerhouse at this year's championship event to be held back home at Santa Anita Park.
"We had some anxious moments at the start but once (Bejarano) got her into gear she just dragged him around there," Baffert said by phone. "She’s always been sort of a big filly but her frame is filling out and it was great to get her back and get a win in there."
Baffert said he wasn't sure which race would be next for Plum Pretty.
"She comes home Sunday and as soon as she tips me off that she’s ready to run again, we’ll find a spot for her,” he said.
The race missed the presence of defending Apple Blossom winner and Horse of the Year Havre de Grace. Her connections objected to the weight assignment of 123 pounds, a six-pound spread in Plum Pretty's favor, and chose not to enter.
Sunland Park invader Twelve Twenty Two outfought Holy Heavens for the lead out of the gate. She was staked to an early 1 1/2-length edge after Plum Pretty broke a bit slowly for Bejarano but quickly moved up into second. Twelve Twenty Two ran the opening quarter-mile in a moderate :23.89 and had Plum Pretty breathing down her neck after a half-mile in courtly :47.54. Plum Pretty came away with the advantage after dueling with Twelve Twenty Two on the far turn and opened up a one-length gap over the rallying Absinthe Minded while completing six furlongs in 1:11.73.
Plum Pretty steadily increased her lead through the stretch and finished up without urging.
"I missed the first jump a little bit," Bejarano said. "She kind of came away from there on the wrong foot, but I think about it and it was the best thing that happened. If she had fired out of there, she might have gone up there head and head with that other filly. She was great relaxing and after a half-mile I felt in total control. She was ready to go when I asked her.”
After ranging up on the turn Absinthe Minded, ridden by Terry Thompson, was no match for the winner but gamely repelled the late-running Tiz Miz Sue, who trailed the field up the backstretch for Joe Rocco Jr. Holy Heavens and Twelve Twenty Two trailed.
Plum Pretty earned $300,000 for the victory, boosting her career total to $1,656,700. She has won five of 11 lifetime starts with two seconds and two thirds. In addition to the Kentucky Oaks, she won the Sunland Park Oaks and the Cotillion Stakes (gr. II) at Parx Racing last year.
Out of the A.P. Indy mare Liszy, Plum Pretty was bred in Pennsylvania by Silent Indy Stables and DDS Stables. She was a $130,000 sale purchase out of the 2010 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March sale of 2-year-olds in training from Kip Elser’s Kirkwood Stables, agent.
4/9/12 - Tom McGreevy, as agent for the sale’s leading buyer, Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farm, bid the day’s second-highest price of $560,000 for a colt by Speightstown out of the stakes-placed mare Five Star Holding, by Five Star Day. The colt, consigned by Kirkwood Stables, agent, posted the fastest time for a quarter-mile during the Preview Show, getting the distance in 20:2.
“He’s fast; it isn’t complicated, he’s fast,” Kirkwood’s Kip Elser said prior to the auction.
3/4/12 - The wonderful old timer MSW MR GRUFF, g. 8, Mr. Greeley - Ruff, by Clever Trick scored again taking the JOE HERNANDEZ H. sprinting down hill on the turf at Santa Anita Park. He is owned by Gary Broad and was bred by Robert Spiegel (Ky.).
Lifetime: 13-7-2-2, $351,510.3/3/12 - Japanese Winner Unavenged Named New York-Bred of the Month - a a joint effort between the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund and the “Down the Stretch” show on Sirius XM Radio.
Unavenged (Empire Maker), an impressive winner of a Feb. 26 maiden race at Nakayama Race Course in Japanhas been named the New York-Bred of the Month for February.
The New York-Bred of the Month is a joint effort between the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund and the “Down the Stretch” show on Sirius XM Radio. The winner will be officially announced on the air the first Saturday of each month. The honoree is chosen by Dave Johnson, Ed Pappas and Bill Finley from the Down the Stretch program.
“The time is right to honor a New York-bred each month,” said Pappas, the show’s producer. “What has always been a good program is now off-the-charts good thanks to the money coming in from the Aqueduct racino. With the money now available to New York breds, this program is going to get bigger and better and no doubt produce some of the best horses in the world.”
Unavenged is out of Naughty Natisha and is a half-sister to 2007 New York bred of the Year Naughty New Yorker. She was making her debut in the race at Nakayma, which carried a purse equal to $135,000. She was bred by Dr. William B. Wilmot and Dr. Joan Taylor and was purchased by SF Bloodstock for $110,000 at Keeneland’s 2011 April 2-year-old sale. She could run next in the Group 3 Flower Cup on March 17, also at Nakayama.
“We gave a lot of thought to giving the honor for February to Yawanna Twist, who won the Grade II General George at
Laurel, which was a great accomplishment,” Pappas said. “But it’s not every day that U.S.-bred horses win in Japan, especially one with such promise, so that’s why we wanted to highlight the accomplishments of this particular filly.”
2/29/12 - Kirkwood prepared NOTELL, was second in her first start in 2012 and was clearly best today at Aqueduct in a MSW. She made a very bold three wide surge and hit the wire ahead. She has now earned over $77,000.
2/26/12 - UNAVENGED (USA) broke alertly in her first out. She was never far back before easily taking control and drawing clear to beat the boys by 1 1/4 lengths. "She has a good mind and responded well, " said winning rider Yuichi Fukunaga. "It was a perfect performance."
Nicknamed “Naughty” as a foal because of her resemblance to her dam Naughty Natisha, NY-bred filly Unavenged proved anything but naughty when she won at first asking on February 26th at Nakayma Racecourse in Tokyo, Japan.
It’s rare enough to win at first asking, but the half-sister to 2007 NY Horse of the Year Naughty New Yorker notched this victory in astonishing style: she defeated both colts and fillies, bested the other 15 runners by a length and a quarter, and made covering ten furlongs on yielding turf look easy.
Unavenged(USA) wins her first start impressively in Japan (Photos courtesy of Harry Sweeney)
UNAVENGED(USA) as a yearling. Photo Courtesy of Sara Skalley
UNAVENGED(USA) as a foal. Photo Courtesy of Sara Skalley
2/19/12 - Kirkwood prepared IRISH SEA, c. 3, by English Channel out of Jamie’s Coco Pop, by The Name’s Jimmy broke his maiden impressively at Gulfstream Park going 9 furlongs on the turf. He was named a NOTABLE MAIDEN WINNER by The Thoroughbred Times Today as he stalked the pace and then split horses to launch his winning bid. He had been second under the wire in his first start. He is a homebred for Mount Joy Stables and is trained by Chad C. Brown.
Lifetime: 2-1-1-0, $31,995.
1/21/12 -SW MUCH REJOICING, a 5 year old daughter of Distorted Humor, ran third in the Manatee S. at Tampa Bay. She ran evenly just off the pace and just could not get up late. MUCH REJOICING is a daughter of Champion SOARING SOFTLY and was bred by Phillips Racing Partnership. She earned black type last year in the GLIA S. at Belmont and also had a strong stakes placing in the Caress S. She is owned by A J Suited Racing Stable.
Lifetime: 13-4-1-1 $ 144,457
On the same day, stakes placed Flash Mash, f, 4, Smarty Jones - Magical Flash, by Miswaki ran a willing third in the Pan Zaretta S. at the Fair Grounds. She had won her second allowance race in a row sprinting on the turf at the Fair Grounds before this latest stakes placing. She is owned by Prime Equestrian S.A.R.L and was bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC .
Lifetime : 8-4-2-1, $ 136,316
1/5/12 - Mount Joy Stables Inc homebred AIR GUITAR (f, 4, Five Star Day - Air France, by French Deputy), got the New Year started right with a bang up win in a MSW at Gulfstream. She is a half to Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz), MGSW, $1,117,200 and Overdriven (Tale of the Cat), GSW, $126,000 and so has every right to be a good one. Taken back just off the pace early, she hit the lead rounding the far turn and maintained an easy 2 length lead to the wire. " We ran her at Churchill and she had a couple problems in the race. We gave her some rest," winning trainer Chad Brown explained. "The owners didn't give it a second thought. She came back good. She's got a good pedigree. That's a wonderful mare she's out of. She's just going to be a sprinter, but I think she's going to be a good one."
Lifetime : 3-1-0-1, $29,586.
To add to the excitment of the day at the same track, Ganador (Posse - Quistadora) continued his money making ways placing third in allowance Race.
2011 Grad News
12/29/11 - Stakes placed Flash Mash, f, 3, Smarty Jones - Magical Flash, by Miswaki is back with a vengeance, winning her second allowance race in a row sprinting on the turf at the Fair Grounds. She sat off the pace and came wide to hold sway. She is owned by Prime Equestrian S.A.R.L. and was bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC. As a two year old breaking her maiden at Keeneland in her first start, she was named a THOROUGHBRED TIMES TODAY NOTABLE MAIDEN WINNER. She has only been unplaced once in seven starts.
Lifetime : 7-4-2-0, $128,816
11/10/11 - Churchill: Homeister wins in second race of comeback
Courtesy of the DRF
By Marty McGeeRosemary Homeister Jr. was all smiles in the Churchill Downs winner’s circle Thursday after prevailing with just her second mount since returning from maternity leave. Homeister won the second race aboard favored Eden Star ($4.60), a 3-year-old filly owned by Jim Gladden and trained by Eric Reed.
“This is great!” said Homeister, the second-leading female jockey all-time in North America. “Eric really had the filly fit and ready to go, and I appreciate that.”
Homeister, 39, abruptly quit riding in early February, announcing she was pregnant with her first child. She delivered a daughter, Victoria Rose, on Aug. 21. She returned to the saddle Wednesday at Churchill by finishing sixth aboard Huxley Winner in the ninth race.
With 2,439 career victories, Homeister’s win total is exceeded among female jockeys only by Hall of Famer Julie Krone with 3,704
__________________________________________________________________________________________________Her mount was Kirkwood prepared EDEN STAR (f, 3, Eddington--Exploding Star, by Exploit), runner-up to Dancinginherdreams (Tapit) who was graded stakes placed as a two year old before she had broken her maiden. She is owned by
Jim Gladden, was bred by Claiborne Farm (KY) and is trained by Eric Reed.10/29/11 - Southern Parkway, c. 2, Lemon Drop Kid - Unbridled Appeal, by Unbridled ran third in the ROYAL GLINT S. at Hawthorne Park going a flat mile on the firm turf course. He is owned by Ashbrook Farm and was bred by Hargus Sexton & Sandra Sexton (Ky.). He is trained by George R. Arnold, II.
10/1/11 - Kirkwood prepared Plum Pretty Scorches Cotillion Field
Courtesy of the Blood-Horse
Plum Pretty delivers in the Cotillion at Parx.Front-running Plum Pretty shook loose on the turn for home and left favored It's Tricky far behind in the $750,000 Cotillion Stakes (gr. II) Oct. 1 at Philadelphia's Parx Racing, earning her first victory since the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) in the spring (VIDEO).With Rafael Bejarano aboard her for the first time, Plum Pretty was brilliant in avenging a loss to It's Tricky in the Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I) at Saratoga July 23. She romped by 7 1/2 lengths while completing the 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-old fillies in 1:41.19 on a track upgraded to fast after earlier rain.
With her third stakes win of the year, Plum Pretty surpassed $1 million in career earnings.
Bob Baffert trains Plum Pretty, who snapped a three-race losing streak for owner Peachtree Stable. In her last start, Plum Pretty found the 1 1/4 miles of Saratoga's Alabama Stakes (gr. I) a bit too taxing, giving way late to finish a distant fourth behind Royal Delta. It's Tricky was second that day.
The winning 3-year-old daughter of Medaglia d'Oro --Liszy (by A.P. Indy ) was bred in Pennsylvania by Silent Indy Stables and D D S Stables.
In handily defeating It's Tricky, who also won the Acorn Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park in June, Plum Pretty probably puts herself back on top in the national divisional ranking of 3-year-old fillies.
Six contested the Cotillion, with It's Tricky the 6-5 choice over 3-2 Plum Pretty.
Plum Pretty snatched the lead out of the gate from Love and Pride and led that one through solid fractions (:23.11, :46.74, 1:10.70) as It's Tricky, ridden by Eddie Castro, and Halo Dolly tracked in third and fourth.
Joe Bravo on Love and Pride attempted to increase the pressure on Plum Pretty rounding the final turn but Plum Pretty responded well to take control at the quarter pole. She widened her advantage to five lengths at mid-stretch and was never threatened in the slightest while taken in hand in the final sixteenth of a mile.
It's Tricky, who bumped while rallying with the retreating Love and Pride entering the stretch, was second by 4 1/4 lengths over 72-1 Daring Reality, who closed from last with Oliver Castillo aboard. Buster's Ready was next, followed by Love and Pride and Halo Dolly.
Plum Pretty won the Kentucky Oaks May 6 at Churchill Downs by a neck over St. John's River following her 25-length romp in the Sunland Park Oaks in March. She ran second in the Hollywood Oaks (gr. II) before her next starts at Saratoga in the Coaching Club and Alabama.
She earned $430,500 for the Cotillion victory, boosting her career bankroll to $1,296,700. She owns a lifetime mark of 4-2-2 in nine starts.
9/24/11 - HUNT CROSSING, c, 2, by Corinthian - Silver Lace, by Silver Deputy ran off with the MONMOUTH PARK NATC FUTURITY by 3 lengths over a muddy track. He had zipped to a four-length debut score at Saratoga August 3, and was given a shot in the GI Three Chimneys Hopeful S. on Labor Day but was was bumped hard at the break and lost all chance. This time he was prominent from the start, and then ran off to wire with no challengers .
9/18/11 - Button Girl, f, 3, Mizzen Mast -J angada, by Raft ran second in the QUEEN TUTTA S.at Belmont adding black tyoe to her resume. She is a homebred for Dr John A Chandler.
Lifetime 5 2-1-0 $66,900
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9/17/11 - WINTER MEMORIES DAZZLING in the Garden City Stakes (G1T)
Courtesy of the Blood-Horse
Jimmy Toner switched riders on Winter Memories for the $250,000 Garden City Stakes (G1T) in hopes of getting his supremely talented filly a cleaner trip and a better chance at scoring her first grade I win.Somewhere at about the quarter pole of the 1 1/8-mile turf race Toner may have been regretting that decision, as new rider Javier Castellano found himself loaded with horse but stuck behind the entire field with no way out. The 3-year-old daughter of El Prado somehow overcame the brutal trip and with one huge burst allowed her trainer a huge sigh of relief.
Finding a way around the wall of horses in deep stretch, Winter Memories passed the entire field inside the sixteenth pole to win the Garden City by a neck in unbelievable fashion Sept. 17 at Belmont Park. The eye-popping victory was her fourth graded stakes triumph in five tries this season and solidified her status as one of the best turf fillies in the country.
A homebred of Phillips Racing Partnership, Winter Memories rebounded from a fourth-place finish as the 2-5 favorite in the Aug. 21 Lake Placid Stakes (gr. IIT) at Saratoga, but it was anything but easy. The gray/roan filly will now head to Keeneland for the $400,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (gr. IT) Oct. 15 to try to capture the same race that her dam, Memories of Silver, did 15 years ago.
Sent off as the even-money choice in a field of eight that included the one-two finishers of the Lake Placid (Hungry Island and Kathmanblu) and last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner (More Than Real), Winter Memories was not far from the pace early on, but then dropped further back down the backstretch. More Than Real led the way under Corey Nakatani in a tightly-bunched group, running through easy fractions of :26.40, :51.60, and 1:16.12, and came off the turn with a narrow advantage.
Everyone was still in contention with a furlong remaining, including European invader Theyskens' Theory, who forged to the lead in upper stretch. Winter Memories, stuck between horses and still trailing the field, finally moved outside of Hungry Island past the eighth pole and began her sensational run under Castellano.
Like being shot from a gun in the final sixteenth, she finally passed Theyskens’ Theory and Garrett Gomez in the final 70 yards to post a thrilling win. The final time on the firm turf course was 1:51.06.
“I didn’t have a place to go,” said Castellano, who replaced Jose Lezcano on Winter Memories. “I had to sit still and wait for my best moment to go around. I tried to sneak into a couple of holes, but it didn’t work out that way. I had to wait a little bit for my opportunity.
“When everybody started to move, I had a chance to move her aside and let her find her kick. She has a wonderful kick, and I think that’s what my best advantage is. When I asked her, she took off. I’m very blessed to ride this filly; she’s one of the best fillies in the country.”
Theyskens’ Theory, a two-time added money winner this year in England, settled for second, 1 1/2 lengths in front of More Than Real. Hungry Island was another head back in fourth.
Winter Memories’ wins this year now include the Appalachian (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland, Sands Point (gr. IIT) at Belmont, and Lake George (gr. IIT) at Saratoga. She upped her career record to 6-1-0 from eight starts and her earnings to $698,100.
“When they turned into the lane it was the same scenario,” Toner said, referring to her Lake Placid defeat. “She was blocked all over again. She had no place to go. I knew there was no chance to get inside or split horses; they were all bunched. I didn’t think she had a chance. I can’t believe the way she accelerated and exploded, in three strides. Phenomenal. Javier said to me, ‘I knew she was going to win.’ I said, ‘I’m glad you did!’”
Toner has said previously that plans for a run in the Breeders’ Cup have not yet been decided.
9/10/11- AWESOME BET, c, 3, by Awesome Again - Ellie's Moment , by Kris S. captured the BARBARO S.at Delaware Park, in July. Today he ran second in the SUPER DERBY-G2 at Louisiana Downs coming wide at the end with determination to get the place, He is owned by Mike McCarty and was bred by Phillips Racing Partnership (KY).
Lifetime: 12 3-3-1 :$239,304
8/19/11 - Alabama Stakes contender profile: Plum Pretty (Prepared for her career by Kirkwood)
Courtesy of the Paulick ReportThe New York Racing Association is producing a series of profiles this week on the three-year-old filly contenders for Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 TVG Alabama Stakes at Saratoga. The series continues with Plum Pretty, winner of the Kentucky Oaks and runner up in both the Hollywood Oaks and the TVG Coaching Club American Oaks.
By 1979, John Fort had already graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in English, become a top-ranked amateur polo player, and established Seaside Stable, a racing and breeding operation. But those experiences weren’t sufficient for Fort, who was eager to learn about horse racing from the ground up.
Fort contacted trainer John Veitch, who at the time was training 4-year-old Alydar and sensational 3-year-old filly Davona Dale, and asked if he could join the eventual Hall of Famer’s staff. Veitch agreed, and Fort spent the summer – which included Alydar’s win in the Nassau County Handicap and Davona Dale’s triumphs in the Acorn, Mother Goose, Coaching Club American Oaks and runner-up effort in the Alabama – working on the backside of Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.
“It was a learning experience,” said Fort, whose Peachtree Stable has campaigned Grade 1 winner and world-record holder Red Giant, Kentucky Derby runner-up Invisible Ink, and Grade 1 Foxwoods King’s Bishop contender Flashpoint. “I felt like I knew horses and had played polo, but I never had any real racetrack experience, so I came to Belmont . I learned a lot and made a lot of contacts I still have to this day. I learned what’s expected of grooms and hotwalkers.”
Thirty-two years later, Fort’s Plum Pretty will attempt to do what Davona Dale was unable to achieve: win the TVG Alabama.
Fort’s association with Plum Pretty, a granddaughter of Grade 2 winner and Grade 1-placed Silent Account, began when he purchased the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro and Liszy for $130,000 at the OBS March Selected Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training.
“It was a glorious pedigree, being by Medaglia d’Oro and out of an A.P. Indy mare,” said Fort. “The A.P. Indy mare hadn’t produced much, but with that kind of pedigree all it would take was for this filly to perform for a good pedigree to become a grand pedigree.”
After being placed in the hands of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, Plum Pretty began her career in Southern California , breaking her maiden in her debut and then finishing third in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez and Grade 1 Las Virgenes in her first two starts against winners.
“She was learning, and we were learning, too,” said Fort. “We went from a maiden win into graded stakes, and we were still learning how to ride her. We took her back one time just to see how it’d work. The other fillies had an advantage in experience. Instead of being discouraged, she learned a lot from those races.”
The breakthrough came in Plum Pretty’s fourth start, March’s Sunland Park Oaks, which she won by 25 lengths as the 1-20 favorite.
“She just had a huge class edge on those horses,” said Fort. “Once she cleared those horses, she galloped home 25 lengths in front. I believe in confidence builders, and it was a confidence builder.”
If the Sunland Park Oaks was a confidence builder, then the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks was a coup, with Plum Pretty holding off St. John’s River ’s late charge to prevail by a neck.
“I was confident,” said Fort. “Everyone loves their own horse, but everybody [in the Baffert barn] was all over her. She had that aura at Churchill Downs that we were all, hopefully, expecting to win.”
Plum Pretty will attempt to regain the winning thread in the TVG Alabama, having finished second to Zazu in the Grade 2 Hollywood Oaks on June 25 and also It’s Tricky in the TVG Coaching Club American Oaks on July 23 at Saratoga .
Fort feels that Plum Pretty was compromised in the TVG Coaching Club American Oaks, having to fly across the country into a heat wave that had struck the East Coast.
“She ran a great race in the Coaching Club,” said Fort. “Something fans should know that isn’t in the Form is that we couldn’t get a Tex Sutton flight. We flew her using FedEx into Newark on one of the hottest days, and then had to van her to Saratoga and run her in the heat. The other horses just had to walk over from their stalls where they had fans blowing on them.”
After Plum Pretty’s three-quarter-length defeat in the TVG Coaching Club American Oaks, Fort and Baffert elected to leave the filly in Saratoga , where she has subsequently posted three workouts.
“It’s hard to come here from California , so we decided to leave her here,” said Fort. “She’s really thrived here, as everyone thrives in Saratoga .”
The Alabama could play a large role in determining the Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, but Fort said the race’s prestige is enough to covet a victory in the 1 ¼-mile contest.
“I don’t vote on those things, but if she wins the Kentucky Oaks and Alabama, she will have won the races everyone wants to win the most,” said Fort. “That’s it. There’s no argument. Period. We would have always won the Kentucky Oaks and the Alabama, and nobody can take that away from us.”
8/16/11 - Like Her Dam, Winter Memories on Star Path
Courtesy of the Blood-HorseIn the late 1990s, the Phillips family and trainer Jimmy Toner campaigned the outstanding filly Memories of Silver, who went on to become a two-time grade I winner and a millionaire. A decade and half later, her daughter, Winter Memories is showing similar promise for the same connections, and is taking the same path to stardom.
In 1996 as a 3-year-old, Memories of Silver began her stakes career by winning the Lake George at Saratoga, followed up with an eye-popping six-length victory in the Nijana Stakes (gr. IIIT), and then tallied the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (gr. IT) in course record time at Keeneland.
Already a graded stakes winner at 2, Winter Memories began her sophomore season by winning the Appalachian Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland and Sands Point Stakes (gr. IIT) at Belmont, and in July scored the Lake George Stakes (gr. IIT) in the same electrifying fashion as her dam, running away by 4 1/2 lengths for her fifth win in six lifetime starts.
This weekend at Saratoga, Winter Memories looks to follow in her dam’s footsteps again when she will go off as the heavy favorite in the Aug. 21 Woodford Reserve Lake Placid (gr. IIT), previously known as the Nijana. And wouldn’t you know it, Toner said the main goal for Winter Memories this year is none other than the QE II.
“Both are pretty much on the same schedule,” said Toner during a national teleconference Aug. 16. “They are two different types of horses but they are basically doing the same thing. If (Winter Memories) can continue on and follow in her mother’s footsteps I think it would be great.
“The goal from the beginning of the year has been the Queen Elizabeth. It’s a (tradition) of the Phillips family and Darby Dan. I won it twice for them and they won it three times previously. So it’s one of their main objectives every year if they have a filly that looks they have that quality about them.”
The Phillips family, which founded and still operates Darby Dan Farm near Lexington, won the QE II with Graceful Darby in 1987, the following year with Love You by Heart, and again in 1990 with Plenty of Grace. Toner teamed up with the Phillips family in 1993 to win the prestigious race with Tribulation, and then again in 1996 with Memories of Silver.
“(Memories of Silver) was a small, compact type; quick as a cat,” Toner said. “(Winter Memories) is a big, scopy filly. You would think she would take more time to get in stride, but she gets herself together pretty quickly and accelerates quickly. But they are two different types of horses.”
Winter Memories will be going 1 1/8 miles for the first time in the Lake Placid but Toner doesn’t think it will be any problem—provided she gets enough pace to run at. Winter Memories does her best running from off the pace.
“I don’t think the distance will make any difference; it’s more about the pace scenario,” Toner said. “At a mile and a sixteenth you know you’re going to have pace, but the further they go the less pace in the race. It’s a different type of race for her.”
To date, Winter Memories’ lone defeat came in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf when she finished second to More Than Real as the heavy favorite when experiencing a less than ideal trip. With the QE II the main goal and coming three weeks before this year’s Breeders’ Cup, Toner was non-committal when asked if a return trip is in her future.
“We’ll take one race at a time,” he said. “We’ll worry about that later. Things have a way of taking care of themselves.”
8/3/11 - Kirkwood grads take two at the SPA
HUNT CROSSING, c, 2, Corinthian - Silver Lace, by Silver Deputy, owned by Dell Ennis and bred by Mount Joy Stables Inc had worked so impressively in the morning that he was hammered down to the 1-2 favorite by the time they went to the post. Hunt Crossing capplied pressure to the leader as they rounded the turn. The two colts were well clear of the others by the time they reached the grandstand, and jockey John Velazquez needed very little to encourage Hunt Crossing to a four length win.
Lifetime: 1-1-0-0 $30,000On the same day, THE DEFENSE RESTS, c. 4, Closing Argument - Autumn Music, by Unbridled’s Song also won at Saratoga. He won easily crossing the wire 5 1/2 lengths in front of his rivals after being geared down when the win was obvious. He is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and was bred by Tanourin Stable.
Lifetime: 3-1-0-1, $26,900.
7/27/11 - Surging Winter Memories Captures Lake George
Courtesy of the Blood-Horse
With an eye-catching burst down the middle of Saratoga's inner turf course, odds-on choice and Kirkwood prepared Winter Memories reminded many of her dam, Memories of Silver, in winning the $150,000 Lake George Stakes (gr. IIT) July 27 .Memories of Silver, a multiple grade I winner by Silver Hawk, won the 1996 Lake George. Her 3-year-old daughter Winter Memories is her eighth foal and the best one so far. By El Prado, the striking gray/roan filly has won five of her six lifetime starts and is three-for-three in 2011, all in graded stakes.
Winter Memories is part of the Darby Dan Farm dynasty. She is managed by Darby Dan owner John Phillips for the Phillips Racing Partnership, which also bred her. She is trained by Jimmy Toner, who conditioned Memories of Silver as well.
Ridden by Jose Lezcano at 3-5 odds, Winter Memories, racing at the back of the six-horse field, overcame trouble leaving the final bend to register an emphatic 4 1/2-length score in the Lake George while geared down late. The final time for the 1 1/16-mile distance was 1:41.57 over a course labeled "good."
Bellamy Star took command in the stretch for Ramon Dominguez but was no match for the winner in the final sixteenth and settled for second. The runner-up finished one length in front of More Than Real, who handed Winter Memories her only loss in a big upset in last fall's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IIT).
Toner said he was concerned that Winter Memories wasn't on her game when she broke slowly.
"Usually she’s tugging at him a little bit more and today she didn’t seem like she was tugging at him at all; she was just totally relaxed," Toner said. "When he (Lezcano) picked her up and asked her to run, she just accelerated and took off.
"I’m very happy with the performance and the way she handled herself. I couldn’t be happier," he added.
Toner said it is special to have Winter Memories in his barn after training her dam.
"They showed the rerun of her mother winning this race, 15 years ago it was, and that was one of the most daring performances by a horse," he said. "Jerry Bailey literally put her nose in between two horses and she split the horses, she made them split, and went on and won. Two totally different horses, but to see the daughter do it and the mother do it …"
Toner said the Woodford Reserve Lake Placid Stakes (gr. IIT) at nine furlongs Aug. 21 at Saratoga is next on the schedule for Winter Memories.
"Our main goal has always been the Queen Elizabeth (gr. IT) at Keeneland," he said. "Her mother won the Queen Elizabeth and we’re hoping to do the same thing."
Winter Memories, breaking slowly, raced in unhurried fashion in last for the first six furlongs as Sunlight Sonata showed the way through quarter-mile splits of :23.15, :47.47, and 1:11.86.
Bellamy Star, tracking the leader in second after tugging at Dominguez early in the race, increased the pressure on the final turn and took the lead when asked for more in upper stretch. Lezcano, making a bid on Winter Memories from the rear, attempted to take the filly through on the inside but had to steady off heels. Winter Memories lost her momentum at that point but quickly found her best stride after being angled out four paths wide for the drive.
She swept past the entire field, including Bellamy Star, who had opened up a clear advantage at mid-stretch, and won under a vigorous hand ride, drawing off before being eased up in the final strides.
“Sometimes in a race you would have to fight with her but today she was very professional," Lezcano said. "When I asked her, she took off like she was coming out of the gate! Once I got her to the outside, she galloped. I think she can still get even better, but the way she ran today was very impressive.”
Winter Memories, who boosted her career earnings to $540,600, was coming off a three-length tally in the Sands Point Stakes (gr. IIT) May 30 at Belmont Park. She began her season in Keeneland's Appalachian Stakes (gr. IIIT) with a neck victory April 21.
In 2010, Winter Memories broke her maiden at first asking at Saratoga last September and then romped by 5 1/4 lengths on a yielding Belmont turf in the Miss Grillo Stakes (gr. IIIT). Sent off as the 11-10 choice in the Breeders' Cup, she was unable to overcome traffic problems at the quarter pole of the one-mile Juvenile Fillies Turf and wound up second, beaten by two lengths by 13-1 More Than Real.
Winter Memories has been favored in all six of her starts.
7/23/11 -GSW PLUM PRETTY ran a brave second in the CCA Oaks G1 at Saratoga. Plum Pretty who shipped into New York for Bob Baffert after finishing second in the Hollywood Oaks (G2) and winning the KY Oaks, shot straight to the front under Martin Garcia and nearly went wire-to-wire despite receiving pressure from It’s Tricky and Buster’s Ready through fractions of :23.88, :47.55, and 1:11.06. By the time the field came off the final turn it was a two-horse race between Plum Pretty and It’s Tricky.
Despite the fierce duel, Plum Pretty maintained her narrow advantage for most of the stretch and it wasn’t until inside the sixteenth pole that It’s Tricky edged clear on the outside. Plum Pretty was 6 1/2 lengths clear of third-place Royal Delta and Jose Lezcano. They were followed by Buster’s Ready and Joyful Victory.
Lifetime: 7 3-2-2 $841,200
7/9/11- AWESOME BET, c, 3, by Awesome Again - Ellie's Moment , by Kris S. came with a sustained run to capture the BARBARO S.at Delaware Park, He is owned by Mike McCarty and was bred by Phillips Racing Partnership (KY); T-Steven M
Asmussen.
Lifetime:10-3-2-1, $134,304.Also bred by the Phillips Racing Partnership was the second place finisher in the Caress S., Kirkwood Stables prepared MUCH REJOICING, daughter of Champion SOARING SOFTLY. She sustained a bump at the start but rallied to a strong finish. She earned black type earlier this year in the GLIA S. at Belmont. She is owned by A J Suited Racing Stable.Lifetime: 10 4-1-0 $137,378
6/25/11 - PLUM PRETTY added to her back type resume running second in the G2- Hollywood Oaks. She was the one to beat and she was not able to hold off the winner in deep stretch. Last out she won the Kentucky Oaks, the third Kirwood prepared filly to do so.
Lifetime 6 3-2-2 $791,200
5/30/11- Kirkwood prepared SW WINTER MEMORIES, f, 3, El Prado {Ire} - Memories of Silver by Silver Hawk was back in the winner's circle again, this time taking the SANDS POINT G2 at Belmont Park on Memorial Day weekend. She is a homebred for the Phillips Racing Partnership and is trained by James J Toner.
Courtesy of the TDN
Winter Memories (El Prado {Ire}) added yet another notch on her belt yesterday with an emphatic victory in Belmont's GII Sands Point S. Content to track a leisurely early pace of :26.11 and :51.41, the 3-5 choice easily rolled up from the outside to assume
command at the head of the stretch and strode clear to post the confident victory. Final time for the 1 1/16-mile
test was 1:42.61."She just galloped over there,' said winning rider Jose Lezcano. "I had to go very close to the pace, but when I asked her, she gave me the same kick she always gives me and she picked it up very quick. She usually sits back and makes a run, but today there was no pace in the race, so I had to do what I had to do. This is the kind of filly you can do whatever you want with, you can keep her close or you can take her back. Today, with six horses and no pace, I had to put her in the race."
Trainer Jimmy Toner was unconcerned about how his closing filly would contend with the pedestrian early pace."Ordinarily, you don't want to be that close, but when they go in :51 you can't be 10 lengths back," he explained. "Now that she's getting racier, she wants to be more forward. As soon as they started slowing it down, she took him up there. We discussed the lack of
pace beforehand, but I don't tell Jose what to do. He knows the filly really well and gets along with her."
Representing Darby Dan's Phillips Racing partnership, the homebred launched her career with a 1 1/2-length score at the Spa last September before romping home a 5 1/4-length winner in a soggy edition of the 1 1/16- mile GIII Ms Grillo S. at Belmont Oct. 3. Sent off the even-money choice in the Nov. 5 GII Breeders' Cup Junvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill Downs, she had to
settle for second behind More Than Real (More Than Ready) in the eight furlong event.Given some time off following that effort, the filly returned with a narrow win in Keeneland's GIII Appalachian S. Apr. 21. "Our
main goal is the [GI] Queen Elizabeth II at Keeneland in Octobe ], Toner added, "We'll figure out the best way to get her there and look at the [GII] Lake George [July 27] and [GII] Lake Placid [Aug. 21] in Saratoga."
Kirkwood Stables prepared MUCH REJOICING, f, 4, Distorted Humor - Soaring Softly by Kris S. won the GLIA S. at Belmont sprinting on the turf and added bold black type to her name. She us a daughter of Champion SOARING SOFTLY and is owned by A J Suited Racing Stable and was bred by the Phillips Racing Partnership (KY). Her trainer is James J Toner..
Lifetime : 8-4-0-0, $123,378.
Much Rejoicing began her career with back-to-back wins, breaking her maiden on the Gulfstream in 2010 on the main trackl and adding an allowance tally on the Keeneland Poly that April before getting time off. The 9-5 chalk in her return this spring in,an off-the-turf allowance in the slop at Gulfstream, she scampered to an eight length victory. Much Rejoicing was back in graded company for the Apr. 22 GIII Doubledogdare S. at 1 1/16 miles on the Keeneland synthetic last time out, but tired to sixth after pressing the pace.
Off to a bumpy start in this grass sprint, she was up to stalk the leaders from the outside early. She went after the pacesetters when they hit the lane, taking over in deep stretch and edging clear5/11/11 - La Cloche , f, 4, Ghostzapper - Memories of Silver {MGISW, $1,448,715}, by Silver Hawk), runner-up in
last year's GIII Pucker Up S got some time off that fall but she is back! She trailed the seven-horse field, in a mile turf race at Belmont Park, then rallied four wide into the stretch and finished powerfully to pass foes in the final furlong to score by a half-length. The winner is a half-sister to BRITISH BLUE (Storm Cat, SW, $200,021); and Kirkwood prepared WINTER MEMORIES (El Prado {Ire}, MGSW, $360,600). She is a homebred for the Phillips Racing Partnership (KY) and is trained by James J Toner.
Lifetime 11-3-2-0, $128,883.
5/6/11- Plum Pretty Pulls Out Kentucky Oaks Thriller
(PLUM PRETTY is the third OAKS (G1) WINNER prepared by Kirkwood Stables. GAL IN A RUCKAS won this prestigious race in 1995 and KEEPER HILL won in 1998)
Courtesy of the Blood Horse
By Evan Hammonds
John Fort’s Peachtree Stable’s Plum Pretty fought off a late charge by St. John's River to win the May 6 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) by a neck. Zazu rallied for third in the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-old fillies under the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs ).The Oaks crowd was reported by Churchill Downs to be 110,122, the third largest in Oaks history behind last year’s 116,046 and a crowd of 111,243 that was on hand in 2005.
The blossoming Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Medaglia d'Oro earned her first graded stakes win at 6-1 odds and covered the trip in the $1 million race in 1:49.50 with Martin Garcia in the irons for trainer Bob Baffert.
Breaking well from the post 12 slot, Plum Pretty sat just off the early pace that was set by Summer Soiree. Summer Soiree was the leader the first time by the wire and hit the opening quarter mile in :23.65. She was followed by Plum Pretty, Daisy Devine, and Lilacs and Lace. Joyful Victory, the 2-1 favorite in the 13-horse field, broke from the rail and settled into a mid-pack position.
St. John’s River, with Rosie Napravnik aboard, took back after breaking outward and striking the gate from post 13 and angled all the way over the rail and was in last position.
Summer Soiree opened up a clear advantage on the first turn and carried the lead down the backstretch, getting the half in :46.99 and six furlongs in 1:11.25. On the far turn, the leader was inhaled by Plum Pretty who struck the front as the field turned for home. She had the lead by three lengths at the eighth pole after a mile in 1:36.41 and drove for home, just holding off the quickly-closing St. John’s River, who rallied down the middle of the track.
“Great trip," said Garcia. "Great filly. I couldn’t have asked for more.”
It was 2 1/2 lengths to Zazu, ridden by Joel Rosario, in third. Joyful Victory closed mildly to finish fourth, with Bouquet Booth finishing fifth.
The winner came to Churchill Downs off a 25-length win in the Sunland Oaks March 27 in New Mexico, her only previous stakes win. She has now won three of her five starts and run third twice.
“That was awesome," said Baffert. "We hoped she'd run like that. She thought she was at Sunland Park.”
Baffert can become the first trainer since Ben Jones in 1952 to win the Oaks and Kentucky Derby in the same year if Midnight Interlude can prevail in the Run for the Roses May 7.
Plum Pretty broke her maiden first time out going six furlongs at the Oak Tree at Hollywood Park meet Oct. 27. She didn’t surface again until Jan. 15 where she ran third in Santa Anita’s seven-furlong Santa Ynez Stakes (gr. II) behind California Nectar and Zazu. She shipped to Sunland Park after another third-place finish, this time finishing behind Zazu and Turbulent Descent in the Feb. 5 Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) at a mile.
It’s the second win in the last three Kentucky Oaks for stallion Medaglia d’Oro, the sire of 2009 winner and Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra. It’s the second Oaks win for Baffert. The Hall of Fame trainer also won the Oaks in 1999 with Silverbulletday.
The Oaks winner, bred in Pennsylvania by Silent Indy Stables and DDS Stables, is out of the A.P. Indy mare Liszy. She was a $130,000 sale purchase out of last year’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March sale of 2-year-olds in training from Kip Elser’s Kirkwood Stables, agent. She was entered in the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic October yearling sale and was RNA’d for $75,000 from the Walnut Green consignment.
Plum Pretty is the fourth foal out of Liszy, who was bred by Hickory Tree Farm and was winless in two starts on the track. She is out of Silent Account, winner of the Alcibiades Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland in 1985. Liszy is a half sister to stakes winner and sire Gold Case.
“The last half-hour has been both emotional and most gratifying,” said Peachtree's Fort after the race. “To set your sights on something with the limited tools and skills 25 years ago….I took what little knowledge I had with polo and put into racehorses. That was the foundation of what I have now.”
There’s a lot of mutual respect (with Fort), and anytime you have that, good things can happen,” Baffert said.
Plum Pretty, with Martin Garcia aboard for trainer Bob Baffert, paid $14.60, $7, and $4.60 as the fourth choice. The bay filly earned $570,400 for the victory and has now banked $761,200.
Napravnik nearly became the first female jockey to win the Oaks with St. John's River, sending her mount to the rail to save ground at the rear of the pack before the two roared into contention in the stretch. It wasn't quite enough, however, and St. John's River paid $13.20 and $7.20 to place. The 12-13 exacta paid $163.
“To me she felt like she was standing good, but she must not have been square because it was just an awkward step first out," Napravnik said. "Not having that good break, I decided to angle over and see what we could do from there. We got such a perfect trip down on the rail. She’s a very, very talented filly."
Zazu, owned by Jerry and Ann Moss -- who also own retired superstar mare Zenyatta -- paid $4 to show.
Joyful Victory came in unbeaten in two starts this year at Oaklawn Park for trainer Larry Jones, who won the Oaks three years ago with Proud Spell. Jockey Mike Smith put her in prime position after steadying early, but the gray filly never fired.
“Mike said she was kind of cramped up down in there on the rail when he really wanted to get that old long stride of hers to start going," Jones said. "We don’t have any major excuse that we see right now. We just didn’t win the race."
Following Joyful Victory and Bouquet Booth were Kathmanblu, Daisy Devine, Street Storm, Suave Voir Faire, Summer Soiree, Her Smile, Lilacs and Lace and Holy Heavens.
4/21/11 - Kirkwood prepared SW WINTER MEMORIES, f, 3, El Prado {Ire} - Memories of Silver by Silver Hawk won the APPALACHIAN S.-G3 with dispatch in her return to racing this year. She is a homebred for the Phillips Racing Partnership and is trained by James J Toner.
Courtesy of the TDNBack in 1996, John and Joan Phillips' Memories of Silver defeated a talented field of 3-year-old fillies to take the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup over the Keeneland turf in a course-record time (1:45 4/5) which stands to this date. That prestigious event looms a long-range goal for Memories of Silver's talented daughter Winter Memories, who made a successful return to action with a rousing victory in the Appalachian S. The grey filly went favored in each of her three runs at two, commencing with a
professional debut victory over the Saratoga weeds Sept. 3. She caught a yielding Belmont turf for the GIII Miss
Grillo S. Oct. 3, but it was of very little consequence, as the filly rolled home by 5 1/4 lengths. She was the even-money
favorite for the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Nov. 5, but ran into traffic trouble approaching the final quarter mile and got clear too late, finishing second to More Than Real (More Than Ready).The odds-on chalk to get back in the win column here, Winter Memories was guided down to the inside and was rated along in fifth as G3 Natalma S. winner New Normal (Forestry) and Dos Lunas duked it out up front. The latter put away New Normal and cut the corner into the lane, but Winter Memories, shifted out to the four path in upper stretch, was just getting down to business. Dos Lunas still held the call entering the final furlong, but Winter Memories closed with a final two furlongs in :22 3/5 to win comfortably in the finish. "We're very happy with the way she came back," said winning trainer Jimmy Toner, who also conditioned Memories of Silver. AShe wintered very well. She matured. She developed. We gave her the time, and I couldn't be happier with the way she ran today." The winner will likely make her next start in Belmonts G2 Sands Point S. May 30
4/17/11 - Kirkwood JEANBAPTISTE COROT , c, 3, Mr. Greeley - Ethel Anna, by Storm Cat broke his maiden with flair in a MSW at Keeneland. Stalking behind slow fractions, the Reiko & Michael Baum homebred seemed like he was left with too much to do in upper stretch. Jeanbaptiste Corot, however, and turned on the afterburners to get up for the win. He is trained by Kenny McPeek.
Lifetime : 4-1-1-0, $40,829
4/13/11- Kirkwood prepared JOSHUA REYNOLDS (c, 4, Royal Academy - Shelly River, by Irish River {Fr}) won the feature at Keeneland winning at 1 1/16miles on a turf course rated as good. He settled one from the tail with just one behind him down the back of the course. Asked for run by Robby Albarado on the turn, he circled rivals, was widest into the lane and closed determinedly for a neck success .
He is a homebred for Dr John A Chandler (KY) and is trained by Ralph E Nicks.
Lifetime Record: 7-3-1-0, $81,185.
3/27/11 - Plum Pretty Squishes Sunland Oaks Foes by 25 (additionally over the weekend two Kirkland grads won races raising their earnings over $100,00 each)
Courtesy of the Blood HorsePlum Pretty, shipping from Southern California for trainer Bob Baffert, humbled five rivals by a Rachel Alexandra-like 25 lengths as the 1-20 favorite in the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks in New Mexico March 27.
With Martin Garcia aboard, Plum Pretty pressed the early pace before taking the lead on the backstretch and drawing clear at the quarter pole. The well-bred daughter of Medaglia d'Oro --Liszy, by A.P. Indy , won in hand while completing the 1 1/16-mile test in 1:43.18 on a fast track.
Plum Pretty registered her first stakes win for John Fort's Peachtree Stable. Bred in Pennsylvania by Silent Indy Stables and DDS Stables, she cost $110,000 as a 2-year-old at the Ocala Breeders' Sale Co. last March.
In a field of six 3-year-old fillies, Icelain Diva led early in the Sunland Park Oaks while pushed along by Plum Pretty through an opening quarter-mile of :23.06. Plum Pretty took a half-length lead at the half-mile mark in :46.83 and the matter was quickly decided. Plum Pretty clicked off six furlongs in 1:11.23 and extended her advantage to 10 lengths with a furlong to run.
Plum Pretty won her debut over maidens at Oak Tree's Hollywood Park meet on the Cushion Track in front-running style by a head. In her next start, the seven-furlong Santa Ynez Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita Jan. 15, she finished third. She ran third again in the Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) Feb. 5, finishing behind the well-regarded Zazu and Turbulent Descent when she was stretched out to one mile for the first time.
Plum Pretty earned $120,000 for the Sunland Park Oaks win and returned $2.10 across the board. Paloma Mesa ($4.20, $2.80) was second with Ken Tohill aboard, 5 3/4 lengths in front of Formal Plan ($2.40) and Jorge Bourdieu. Golden Springs, Cassy Sue, and Icelain Diva completed the order.
3/6/11- Shine Softly's half sister Kirkwood prepared MUCH REJOICING, f, 4, Distorted Humor - Soaring Softly , by Kris S got her career started on a positive note on Valentine' s Day at Gulfstream Park last year and then won back in her next try. Most recently she demolished the field in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park to make it 3 wins in 6 times to the post. She won off by eight widening lengths.
Lifetime: 6 3-0-0- $86,961
2/5/11 - Kirkwood grad Plum Pretty, f, 3, Medaglia d' Oro - Liszy, by A.P. Indy ran third in the Las Virgines G1 at Santa Anita, recently she was third in the G2 SANTA YNEZ S. and Santa Anita. She is owned by Peachtree Stable, was bred by Silent Indy Stable LLC & DDS Stables and is a Bob Baffert trainee. She jumped straight from a maiden win at first asking ( she was named a Thoroughbred Times Today Notable Maiden Winner ) to graded stakes company and has earned graded black type twice
Lifetime: 3 1 0 2 $70,800On the same day, Kirkwood prepared Flash Mash, f. 3, Smarty Jones - Magical Flash, by Miswaki ran second in the TIFFANY LASS S.. She recently won and aollwance race at the Fair Grounds impressively by over 10 lengths. Earlier she broke her maiden at Keeneland Race Course in her first out. She won off by 2 1/2 lengths and was named a THOROUGHBRED TIMES TODAY NOTABLE MAIDEN WINNER. She is owned by Prime Equestrian S.A.R.L and was bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC. Her trainer is Michael Stidham
Lifetime: 4 2 2 0 $65,600
2/5/11 - Cool Coal Man to Hartley/DeRenzo in Florida
Courtesy of the Blood-HorseCool Coal Man, a grade II-winning son of Mineshaft , will stand the 2011 breeding season at Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds in Ocala, Florida for a fee of $5,000.
Winner of the 2008 Fountain of Youth (gr. II), the 6-year-old horse produced from the Rubiano mare Coral Sea won 10 of 30 career starts, with six seconds and two third-place finishes, while earning $929,728 for trainer Nick Zito and owner Robert LaPenta. Bred in Kentucky by W. S. Farish and the E. J. Hudson Jr. Irrevocable Trust,. Cool Coal Man won or place in 11 stakes during his career.
“Not only is he nearly a millionaire, being a son of Mineshaft and a grandson of A.P. Indy , this is a sire line that is proving over and over to be the sire of sires,” said director of stallions Rebecca Hayden. “Cool Coal Man is inbred 3x4 to Mr. Prospector, who is a Florida foundation sire, his second dam is a full sister to two-time champion Northernette, also champion racehorse and sire Storm Bird.
“As word has traveled, we have had an immediate response to this horse and believe that he will spark a new ‘Florida breeding market.’ We couldn’t be more pleased to have him with us at Hartley/DeRenzo and are very excited to get him started on his stallion career.”
1/27/11 - G3 SW STEELE TANGO, h, 6, Okawango--Waltzing Around {Ire}, by Ela-Mana-Mou {Ire} who won a $175,000 handicap race on opening night of the Carnival of Racing at Meydan, ran second this time in the $200,00 AL RASHIDIYA (Sponsored By Gulf News) S.-G2. He is owned by the Thirty Acre Racing Partnership, was bred by Tom Zwiesler and is trained by Roger Teal. He is a Kirkwood Tatts Breeze graduate of 2007.
1/17/11 - Bobby Flay owned, stakes placed, Stormandaprayer won an allowance race at Aqueduct going 6 furlongs in 1:10 and change. She is trained by Todd Pletcher. She broke her maiden at Belmont last June, ran fourth in the GI Prioress S. before a third-place effort in Saratoga's Loudonville S. She came home 3 1/2 lengths ahead for an easy win.
Lifetime: 10-2-1-3, $102,484.
1/15/11- Kirkwood grad Plum Pretty, f, 3, Medaglia d' Oro - Liszy, by A.P. Indy ran third in the G2 SANTA YNEZ S. and Santa Anita. She is owned by Peachtree Stable, was bred by Silent Indy Stable LLC & DDS Stables and is a Bob Baffert trainee. She jumped straight from a maiden win at first asking ( she was named a Thoroughbred Times Today Notable Maiden Winner ) to graded stakes company and earned black type.
Lifetime: 2 1-0-1 $40,800.
.1/13/11 - G3 SW STEELE TANGO, h, 6, Okawango--Waltzing Around {Ire}, by Ela-Mana-Mou {Ire} won a $175,000 handicap race on opening night of the Carnival of Racing at Meydan. He is owned by the Thirty Acre Racing Partnership, was bred by Tom Zwiesler and is trained by Roger Teal. He is a Kirkwood Tatts Breeze graduate of 2007.
Lifetime: 26-4-7-1, $377,358
1/6/11 - DUBAI: STRECKER, c, 3, Sky Mesa - Ruby Summer, by Mr. Greeley broke his maiden at Meydan going 6 furlongs on the All Weather track. He was prepared and quarantined at Kirkwood. Strecker kicked off the opening double for owner Prime Equestrian and trainer Stephane Chevalier. Tracking early, Strecker accelerated in deep stretch and scored by a half-length.
2010 Grads
12/31/10 -Kirkwood prepared MCCOOL, f, 3, Giant's Causeway -Dame Again {Aus}, by Danehill , a $210,000 KEESEP yearling won first out. She scored at Tampa Bay going 1 1/16 on the turf. Within striking distance early, the chestnut came to challenge for the lead five furlongs in, and had a narrow advantage at the top of the stretch and held sway by 3/4 of a lengths. She is owned by AJ Suited Racing Stable and was bred by Wall Street ThoroughbredsPty Ltd (KY). Her trainer is James J Toner.
Lifetime: 1-1-0-0, $10,200.
12/18/10 - Stone Farm homebred AMBIENT, f. 2, Rockport Harbor out of Vickey’s Echo, by Clever Trick was chosen a Thoroughbred Times Today NOTABLE MAIDEN WINNER after winning impressively first out.at Delaware Park. She added to her accomplishments at the Fair Grounds taking a first level allowance race on the turf. She chased the leaders early but blasted past in the stretch to won off by 5 lengths. She is trained by Michael Stidham.
Lifetime: 3-2-0-0, $38,641
12/16/10 - Kirkwood prepared 2 year old BUTTON GIRL won as she pleased at the Fair Grounds. She is a homebred for Dr. John A. Chandler and is trained by Ralph Nicks. She rated while restrained behind the leaders and then won off ridden out. She is by Mizzen Mast out of Jangada by Raft.
Lifetime: 3 2-0-0 $53,90011/27/10 - Kirkwood prepared FLASH MASH, f. 2, Smarty Jones - Magical Flash, by Miswaki remained undefeated, taking an allowance race at the Fair Grounds impressively by over 10 lengths. Earlier she broke her maiden at Keeneland Race Course in her first out. She won off by 2 1/2 lengths and was named a THOROUGHBRED TIMES TODAY NOTABLE MAIDEN WINNER. She is owned by Prime Equestrian S.A.R.L and was bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC. Her trainer is Michael Stidham.
At the Fair Grounds, FLASH MASH prevailed with ease. The chestnut faced some pressure early, but shrugged off those mild threats and drew off under a motionless Jamie Theriot to romp by 10 1/4 lengths. "I was a little concerned after Keeneland how she was going to handle dirt, but she got here and really worked well on it, so we felt good about her making the transition," said winning trainer Mike Stidham. "Now the next question will be stretching her out two turns, and we think she'll do that, too." He added, "We're not in any hurry. We're certainly going to point her to the big three-year-old filly races, so we're not in any hurry."
11/5/10 - Kirkwood prepared SW WINTER MEMORIES, f, 2, El Prado {Ire} - Memories of Silver by Silver Hawk won the Miss Grillo (G3) last out and was favored in the BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES TURF G2 . She ran into all sorts of traffic problems and just could not catch the winner. An inquiry lodged by her jockey for interference did not hold up. She is a homebred for the Phillips Racing Partnership and is trained by James J Toner.
Earlier that afternoon, A. U. MINER, c. 5, Mineshaft -Clerical Etoile, also Kirkwood prepared was placed 3rd via disqualification in the G3- Breeders Cup Marathon. He is owned by Don L Benge and was bred by Ten Broeck Farm Inc.
Lifetime: 21 4-2-4 $349,350
11/1/10 -Kirkwood graduate Eden Star, f. 2, Eddington - Exploding Star, by Exploit, added graded black type to her pedigree running second in the POCAHONTAS S. (G2) at Churchill Downs. She is owned by Jim Gladden and was bred by Claiborne Farm (KY). Her trainer is Eric R Reed.
Lifetime: 2 -0-2-0 $36,628
On the same day at Calder, Heirness, f. 3, Five Star Day - Air France, by French Deputy, broke her maiden sprinting in a race which came off the turf. She is a homebred for Mount Joy Stables (KY) and is a half to Kirkwood graduate MGSW & GISP millionaire SMOOTH AIR (Smooth Jazz),
10/27/10 -Kirkwood grad PLUM PRETTY, f, 2, Medaglia d' Oro - Liszy, by A.P. Indy, broke her maiden first out in a MSW at Oak Tree at Hollywood Park. The bay filly went right to the lead, set fractions of :22.16, :45.34 and :57.64 and held on to the wire. PLUM PRETTY WAS chosen a Thoroughbred Times Today Notable Maiden Winner. She is owned by Peachtree Stable, was bred by Silent Indy Stables LLC & DDS
Stables (PA) and is trained by -Bob Baffert.
Lifetime : 1-1-0-0, $22,800.
10/24/10 - ADMIRAL ALEX, c, 3, Afleet Alex--Madam Lagonza, by Kingmambo lives up to the hype and scores in the ARTS AND LETTERS S. at Belmont by more than 4 lengths. He is owned and trained by Leon J Blusiewicz and was bred by Mike Connelly (KY).
Lifetime:4-2-0-0, $76,764
Admiral Alex turned in a solid one-length winning debut while taking significant tote action at Saratoga July 31, and owner/trainer Leon Blusiewicz thought enough of his colt to step him right up into Grade I company in the Travers S. which might have been too much for a green colt. In the ARTS AND LETTERS, he broke alertly and
quickly wrestled the lead while carving out fast fractions of :22.56, 45.66 and 1:09.88 for this nine-furlong contest. Unfazed by his early fractions, however, the good-looking colt cruised home to an impressive score, living up to the ever-present hype surrounding him. "He should be undefeated," said the confident Blusiewicz. "He had excuses in the Travers and the Jamaica. He's a good horse and he'll get a chance to show it."
Admiral Alex could go next in the Nov. 20 GIII Discovery H. at Aqueduct, with eyes on the GI Metropolitan H. in his four year- old season.
10/24/10 - Kirkwood prepared FLASH MASH, f. 2, Smarty Jones - Magical Flash, by Miswaki broke her maiden impressively at Keeneland Race Course in her first out. She won off by 2 1/2 lengths and was named a THOROUGHBRED TIMES TODAY NOTABLE MAIDEN WINNER. She is owned by Prime Equestrian S.A.R.L and was bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (Ky.. Her trainer is Michael Stidham.
Lifetime: 1-1-0-0, $28,200.
Flash Mash made her career debut a memorable one as she pressed the pace from the inside under Robby Albarado and shook free to a dominant victory as the favorite. Owner Prime Equestrian purchased the chestnut filly from the third crop of 2004 champion three-year-old male Smarty Jones for $180,000 at the 2010 Keeneland April sale of selected two year- olds in training.
10/21/10 -Kirkwood prepared MALICIA, f. 2, Tapit - Malia, by Regal Classic, broke her maiden with a flourish at Deauville in the Prix de la Cerisaie on the all weather track. She raced greenly at the start and was behind horses, but she came on strongly in the stretch. It was her first start. She is owned by Prime Equestrian and was bred by Blandford Stud (Ky.). Her trainer is Thomas Demeaulte
10/15/10 - Kirkwood graduate Steele Tango, h, 5, Okawango - Waltzing Around (Ire), by Ela-Mana-Mou (Ire). ran second in the RICHARD HAMBRO DARLEY S.-G3 at Newmarket. He is owned by the Thirty Acre Racing Partnership, was bred by Tom Zwiesler and is trained by Roger Teal.
10/10/10 -Kirkwood prepared Ocasta, c. 2 by Cherokee Run out of Bema by Pulpit ran third in the Bourbon S. (G3) at Keeneland, going 1-1/16 on the turf in his fifth start. He was bred by Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider and is owned by Silverton Hill LLC. His trainer is Darrin Miller.
Lifetime: 5 1-0-3: $30,636
5/10/10 - Stone Farm homebred AMBIENT, f. 2, Rockport Harbor out of Vickey’s Echo, by Clever Trick made a bold move through the stretch to get up in the final strides to score at Delaware Park in her first start. She was chosen a Thoroughbred Times Today NOTABLE MAIDEN WINNER. She is trained by Michael Stidham.
Lifetime: 1-1-0-0, $15,000.
10/3/10 -Kirkwood prepared horses had a great day at Belmont. WINTER MEMORIES Explodes in Miss Grillo (G3) Win and on the same day MSW COOL COAL MAN was second in the G2- Kelso H to up his earnings to $869,72
Courtesy of the Blood-Horse
Winter Memories, the 7-5 favorite in a field of 11, remained perfect in two starts when she used an electrifying move at the top of the stretch to pull away for an eye-catching 5 1/4-length victory in the $150,000 Miss Grillo Stakes (gr. IIIT) Oct. 2 at Belmont Park.
The 2-year-old daughter of El Prado is a Phillips Racing Partnership homebred. She broke her maiden by 1 1/2 lengths in her maiden special weight debut Sept. 3 at Saratoga going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. For the Miss Grillo, Jose Lezcano was back aboard the gray/roan filly, who covered 1 1/16 miles on the yielding turf course in 1:45.69. Jimmy Toner trains the winner, who is likely on her way to the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IIT) Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs.
Reserved near the back of the pack for six furlongs, Winter Memories put herself in winning position rounding the far turn, but was still behind a wall of horses when they straightened away. When given the cue by Lezcano, she swept six-wide into the lane and in a flash went by eight rivals rivals while taking the lead approaching the eighth pole. She continued her sensational turn of foot through the final furlong and coasted to the wire much the best.
Arch Support, a 50-1 longshot under Edgar Prado, nosed out Fancy Point for second in a tight photo, with Excited another half-length back in fourth.
“In the first part of the race I was behind horses and when I moved in the clear she wanted to take a hold of the bit, so I had to take a hold of her again so I could wait for the quarter pole," Lezcano said. "Then I swung out and she just exploded. She has a really big and fast kick. I’m not surprised at her effort today; she is a really nice filly.”
Winter Memories earned $90,000 for the win and increased her earnings to $120,600. She is out of the Silver Hawk mare Memories of Silver, who was a multiple grade I winner on grass.
“She did everything we could ask for and more," Toner said. "I was concerned around the turn when she started to drop back, but Jose said she was trying to take him, so he checked her. She’s a big, long-striding filly, so we wanted to keep her clear.
9/25/10 - SW CAUSEWAY'S KIN , c 4 by Giant's Causeway - out of champion You (You and I) ran third in the Joey Blueeyes S at Calder. He was bred by Edmund A Gann and is owned by Team Valor International. He is a half brother to SW YOU AND I FOREVER.
Lifetime: 12 3-3-2 $123,387
9/14/10 - The beautifully bred MAMA LULU, f, 08. Kingmambo - Kamarinskaya, by Storm Cat, broke her maiden at Yarmouth in the Mdn (2yoF) European BreedersFund MaidenFillies S. going 6 furlongs on turf rated as good to soft. She is owned by My Meadowview Llc and is trained by M L W Bell.
9/6/10 - Kirkwood prepared horses finished up the Saratoga meet with a flourish. On the final day La Cloche, f. 3, Ghostzapper - Memories of Silver, by Silver Hawk ran second in the PUCKER UP S. (G3) for the Phillips Racing Partnership and trainer James J. Toner. She was up late with a strong run at the winner. Two days earlier her half sister WINTER MEMORIES broke her maiden in spectacular fashion in her first start for the same connections.
9/5/10 - Turf Melody, c. 3, Maria’s Mon - Tricky Bird, by Storm Bird rallied strongly outside with the eventual winner of the SARANAC S. (G3) at Saratoga Race Course and just could not quite get his nose in front. He is owned by Earle I. Mack LLC , was bred by Bruce Berenson & Laurie Berenson (Ky.) and is trained by H. Graham Motion.
Lifetime: 13 3-1-2 $240,926
9/3/10 - Kirkwood prepared WINTER MEMORIES, f, 2, El Prado {Ire} - Memories of Silver by Silver Hawk, went off co-choice in her first start. She looked phenomenal in the paddock and ran as well as she looked.. She raced off the pace going, 1 1/16 on the turf, had to weave her way through tiring horses and then closed with energy on the inside to win going away by 1 1/2 lengths. She is a homebred for the Phillips Racing Partnership and is trained by James J Toner.
Lifetime: 1-1-0-0, $30,600.
9/2/10 - Kirkwood grad and Dr. John A Chandler homebred, PEARLY BLUE, f. 3, Empire Maker - Western Ransom, by Red Ransom captured an allowance race at Saratoga. The Bill Mott trainee went 11 furlongs on the turf to win by 1/2 a length after racing wide throughout and then responding well at the top of the stretch. She has been on the board in 7 or her 10 starts.
Lifetime: 10-2-4-1, $92,746.
8/22/10 - MG1SW MARSH SIDE made easy work of five challengers in the $243,047 Sky Classic Stakes (Can-G2) driving to a five-length romp as the favorite on Sunday at Woodbine.
Courtesy of the Thoroughbred Times Today
—Mike Curry
Robert S. Evans’ homebred multiple Grade 1 winner halted a five race winless stretch and nailed down his first victory of the year for trainer Neil Drysdale. The seven-year-old Gone West horse had not won since the 2009 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (Can-G1), a win his connections had to wait nearly nine months to celebrate. Marsh Side originally was disqualified and placed fourth for interference in the stretch of the Northern Dancer, but the Ontario Racing Commission overturned the disqualification in June.There was no debate on Sunday as Marsh Side swept past the fading pacesetter and drew well clear, coasting to the finish line with no serious challengers making a run at him. Marsh Side covered 1¼ miles under Edgar Prado in 2:08.99 on turf rated as soft for his seventh win from 29 starts.
“It looked as though there was not much speed in the race,” Prado said. “All I had to do was help [Marsh Side] a little bit out of the gate and then let him do his thing. He’s an old pro and he knows the track. He was having a lot of fun out there.”
In five seasons, Marsh Side has bankrolled $2,360,070. He is out of the Grade 2-winning Pleasant Colony mare Colonial Play, a full sister to 1991 champion two-year-old filly Pleasant Stage and multiple graded
stakes winner and sire Stage Colony. Other notable family members include Grade 1 winners A Phenomenon, Seattle Meteor, and Changeintheweather.
Marsh Side probably will target the Northern Dancer on September 19.
8/18/10 - FLASK, f. 2, Maria’s Mon - Carafe by Devils' Bag, set solid early fractions (:23.02, :46.15) on her way to victory at the Spa. It looked as though the favorite might be about to take over, but FLASK cut the corner establishing a two-length lead that she held to the wire. She is trained by Eddie Kenneally and owned by Stone Farm and Joseph W. Sutton. The victory was the winner’s second in five career starts.
8/10/10 - Kirkwood prepared BUTTON GIRL, f, 2, Mizzen Mast - Jangada , by Raft, won a MSW going 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf at Saratoga. She had a :47.00 bullet gate work at Keeneland and showed that same kind of early speed in her first start. She zipped right out of the box, set splits of :22.03 and :45.07 and kept right on going for an easy 2 1/2-length success . The winner is a half to Coracle (Exbourne), GSW, $246,383. She is a homebred for Dr John A Chandler (KY) and is trained by Ralph E Nicks.
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $30,000.
8/8/10 - LA CLOCHE , f, 3, Ghostzapper - Memories of Silver, by Silver Hawk, scored in an allowance race at Saratoga going 1 3/16 on a firm turf course. Her most recent win was a MSW at Belmont was in a a 1 1/16-mile maiden test at Belmont June 27. She settled in the early going and then came on three wide on the far turn to take command nearing the three-sixteenths pole and proved best under left-handed urging to score by 3/4 of a length. She is a homebred for Phillips Racing Partnership (KY) and is trained by James J Toner.
Lifetime Record: 6-2-1-0, $71,547.
8/6/10 - Kirkwood conditioned Stormandaprayer, f, 3, Songandaprayer - Stormy Pick, by Storm Creek.ran third in the Loudenville at Saratoga garnered black type and upped her earnings to just under $75,000. She is owned by Bobby Flay, was bred by Jaime S Carrion Trustee and is trained by James Toner.
8/1/10 - Kirkwood prepared MGSW COOL COAL MAN, c. 4, Mineshaft - Coral Sea, by Rubiano second in the MAJESTIC LIGHT S at Monmouth. He is owned by Robert LaPenta and trained by Nick Zito.
He has increased his earnings to: $807,328
7/31/10 - First time starter and Kirkwood prepared ADMIRAL ALEX (c, 3, Afleet Alex - Madam Lagonza,
by Kingmambo), a $260,000 KEESEP yearling purchase wins first out at Saratoga and is now headed for the Travers. ADMIRAL ALEX tackled two turns at first asking and he stayed within striking distance in third, was asked to quicken on the turn for home by Kent Desormeaux and took over in the stretch. The victor is a half-brother to Woodlander (Forestry), MGSW, $330,374. He is owned and trained by O/T-Leon J Blusiewicz. and was bred by Mike Connelly (KY).
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $30,600.
7/24/10 - CAUSEWAY'S KIN, c. 3, Giant's Causeway - You by You and , scored in the Band Is Passing S at Calder. The colt danced through his conditions, was stakes placed twice and nailed this one. He was bred by the late Edmund A Gann and is now owned by Team Valor International. He is a half brother to SW YOU AND I FOREVER.
Lifetime: 11 3-3-1 $117,887
7/23/10 - Kirkwood prepared G2 SW YOU AND I FOREVER, h. 5, A.P. Indy - You, by You and I, winner of the Gulfstream H., G2, and most recently third in the SALVATOR MILE S. (G3) at Monmouth, ran third in the JAMES MARVIN S on opening day at Saratoga.. He is owned by Jafar Abdullah Algahtani and was bred by Edmund A Gann (Ky.).
Lifetime: 20 4 4 4 $470,4847/3/10 - Kirkwood prepared G2 SW YOU AND I FOREVER, h. 5, A.P. Indy - You, by You and I, winner of the Gulfstream H., G2, ran third in the SALVATOR MILE S. (G3) at Monmouth. He is owned by Jafar Abdullah Algahtani and was bred by Edmund A Gann (Ky.).
Lifetime: 19 4 4 3 $462,984
6/25/10 - Kirkwood prepared SW SKY HAVEN , f. 4, Sky Mesa - Shouldn't We All by Woodman is back at 4 running 2nd in the Northern Fling H. at Presque Isle Downs. Last year she ran third in the GALLANT BLOOM H. (G2) at Belmont Park. As a 2 year old she was graded sakes placed and had annexed her first stakes in the Presque Isle Debutante. She is owned by Robert E Masterson, was bred by Daniel M Ryan (PA), and is trained now by Bruce Levine.
6/12/10 - Kirkwood prepared MGSW COOL COAL MAN, c. 4, Mineshaft - Coral Sea, by Rubiano back in the winners circle at Monmouth winning the SKIP AWAY S.
The winner of the GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream and third in the GI Haskell Invitational S. over this track in 2008, Cool Coal Man was three-for nine last term. The bay romped to a 12 3/4-length victory in the Albert the Great S. at Saratoga in August, but was off the board in his next two tries and was given a three-month break. The winner of an optional claimer at Gulfstream in his 2010 bow Jan. 22, he was third in the GII Gulfstream Park H. Mar. 13, but was looking to rebound after running sixth in the Apr. 30 GIII Alysheba S. at Churchill. Cool Coal Man pressed the pace from second as they loafed through an opening half in :50.42. He took over after six panels in 1:14.37 and pulled clear late to post the popular score.
5/31/10 - A G3 winner on 4/17/10, MR GRUFF ran a gallant third in the SHOEMAKER MILE S. (G1) at Hollywood Park after leading until the stretch. He is owned by Gary Broad and was bred by Robert Spiegel (Ky).
Lifetime: 9 5-2-1 $259,680
5/31/10 - Causeway’s Kin c. 4, Giant’s Causeway - You, by You and I ran second in the MEMORIAL DAY H. (G3) at Calder. He was bred by Edmund Gann and is now owned by Team Valor. Causeway’s Kin and rival Cinnamon Road battled gamely through the stretch for second with Causeway’s Kin inching ahead in the final
strides to edge that foe by a necK.
Lifetime: 9 2-3-1 $84,387
5/1/10 - Edmund Gann homebred, Causeway’s Kin c. 4, Giant’s Causeway - You, by You and I ran second in the SUMTER S. at Calder Race Course.
Lifetime:16-6-3-3, $324,179.
4/17/10 - Horse for course Mr Gruff sprints to repeat San Simeon (G3) win.
Courtesy of the Thoroughbred Times Today
Mr Gruff had won three straight races on the downhill turf course entering the $100,000 San Simeon Handicap (G3) on Saturday at Santa Anita Park, and midway down the hill the Mr Greeley gelding took charge on his de facto home course.The 4-to-5 favorite surged past Trumpet Player Jay, opened a clear lead through a half-mile in :43.98 under Joel Rosario, and spurted well clear in the stretch. He coasted to a 2 1⁄4-length score in 1:11.53 for about 61⁄2 furlongs on the unique turf course, which was rated as firm.
“I knew I had to get a good break. My horse and another outside of me were the only speed,” Rosario said. “I let the other horses on the outside go for a little while, then after that I took the lead. He’s running good, and he’s a nice horse.”
Gary Broad’s Mr Gruff won the San Simeon by three-quarters of a length last year for his first career graded stakes win. Trainer Ron Ellis gave him a break after the win but Mr Gruff missed the second half of the season with an injury, including a planned start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
“I thought he was good enough down the hill to be able to run in the Breeders’ Cup [Turf Sprint] last year, and when he won the San Simeon, I just gave him some time off,” Ellis said. “When I brought him back, he kind of strained his back and we sent him to [owner] Gary Broad’s farm, Oakmont, and they fixed him up and sent him back 110%.” He returned with an easy win on March 19 on the downhill turf course that set him up perfectly for a repeat win in the San Simeon.
Mr Gruff improved to five wins in six starts on the downhill course. He has five wins and two seconds from eight career races and earnings of $229,680 for Broad, who purchased him for $200,000 at the 2006 Barretts Equine Ltd. March sale of selected two-year-olds in training. Bred in Kentucky by Robert Spiegel, he is out of Grade 3 winner Ruff, by Clever Trick.
“We’ve always wanted to stretch him out,” Ellis said. “His mom won a graded stake at a mile and a sixteenth, so we’re probably going to look at the Shoemaker Mile [Stakes (G1) on May 31 at Hollywood Park].”
4/4/10 -And here comes Shine Softly's half sister to remain undefeated in two starts! Kirkwood prepared MUCH REJOICING , f, 3, Distorted Humor - Soaring Softly , by Kris S got her career started on a positive note on Valentine' s Day at Gulfstream Park, overcoming a four-wide trip en route to a 3/4-length victory over six furlongs. Adding a bit more real estate and trying the synthetic track for the first time here, the 3-1 second choice argued the pace from the rail, cut the corner into the stretch and edged clear to score by a decisive 3 1/2 lengths. This time it was HAPPY EASTER!
Lifetime Record 2-2-0-0, $53,400
3/27/10 - Shine Softly, f. 4, Aldebaran - Soaring Softly (by Kris S.) ran second in the Sam Houston Distaff at Sam Houston Parkl. She is a homebred for Phillips Racing Partnership and is trained by Steven M Asmussen. Shine Softly is the daughter of Champion and Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) winner Soaring Softly.
3/19/10 - Kirkwood prepared SW MR GRUFF, g, 6, Mr. Greeley - Ruff, by Clever Trick. won an allowance race with ease at Santa Anita. He is owned by Gary Broad and was bred by Robert Spiegel (Ky).
Lifetime: 7 4 2 0 $169,680
Mr Gruff was three-for-four last year, but his season was over after a front-running 3/4-length score in the
GIII San Simeon H. down the hill at Santa Anita Apr. 18. He was making his return as the odds-on chalk here. Just off the pace while on the bit early, the dark bay angled outside in the stretch and finished well to
win going away.
Grade 3 winner Mr Gruff (Mr. Greeley) will be pointed to San Simeon Stakes (G3) on April 17 after winning an optional claming race on Friday. The six-year-old gelding won the race on the about 6½-furlong downhill
turf course by 2¾ lengths as the 9-to-10 favorite, covering the distance in 1:11.69. It was Mr Gruff’s first race since winning last year’s edition of the San Simeon about 11 months ago. Mr Gruff was nursing a sore back, which caused him to miss the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in November.
3/13/10 - Kirkwood prepared You and I Forever scores in the Gulfstream H., G2 with Cool Coal Man third
Courtesy of the Thoroughbred Times Today .
By Myra Lewyn
With a deal looming for a stud career in India, You and I Forever ran the race of his life to win the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2) on Saturday after trainer Marty Wolfson pleaded to start the royally bred A.P. Indy horse the previous evening.The five-year-old bay rated off a quick early pace, rallied five wide to gain the lead near the top of the stretch, and scored a 1½-length victory over stablemate Motovato as he earned his first stakes victory at 13.70-to-1 odds. “He wasn’t even going to run,” Wolfson said of You and I Forever, the first foal produced by late owner Edmund Gann’s multiple Grade 1 winner You, by You and I. “A deal has been made [by the estate of Edmund Gann] to sell the horse to interests in India as a stud prospect. I begged them last night to let me run him.”
You and I Forever covered one mile in 1:36.83 on a track rated as fast to earn his fourth victory from 17 career starts. He tired to finish seventh in the seven-furlong Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship Stakes (G2) on February 13 in his previous start, but he was full of run going longer on Saturday under Javier Castellano to score a convincing win. You and I Forever relaxed in eighth early in the 11-horse field as Cool Coal Man and Inkado pressed pacesetter Le Grand Cru, who laid down fractions of :23.86 for the opening quarter and : 46.40 through a half-mile. You and I Forever raced in third at the quarter-pole, where 2008 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) winner Cool Coal Man seized a narrow lead before fading to third. Grade 3 winner Motovato, the 4.30-to-1 second wagering choice, got a stalking trip under Elvis Trujillo, who guided him to the inside of Inkado in early stretch, but You and I Forever made the most of his rally and opened a clear lead at the eighth pole.
“There was a lot of speed in there and I wanted to be midpack and wait for the horses to come back to me and just let my horse finish, and it worked out exactly that way,” Castellano said. “They went pretty quick, and I was able to sit just off the speed. I went a little wide, but I wanted to be in the clear and didn’t want him getting a lot of dirt kicked back on him. And when I put him in the clear, he just took off.”
Sunshine Millions Sprint Stakes winner This Ones for Phil, a Grade 2 winner and the 1.70-to-1 favorite, tracked the early pace from fourth then flattened out and finished eighth.
You and I Forever has been competitive in graded stakes, finishing second to Quality Road in the Hal’s Hope Stakes (G3) in his 2010 debut. He also finished second in the 2008 Jerome Handicap (G2) and ’09 Phillip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) before his breakthrough performance on Saturday.
3/1/10 - Multiple Grade 2 winner and former classic starter Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz) ( prepared by Kirkwood) is steadily working toward a return to racing after an extended layoff following a last-place finish in the Whitney Handicap (G1) on August 8 at Saratoga Race Course. The five-year-old horse breezed five furlongs on Sunday in 1:03.60, which ranked sixth of 12 timed moves at the distance. Sunday’s workout was the second of the year for Smooth Air, who won the Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2) last year and the Ohio Derby (G2) and Hutcheson Stakes (G2) in 2008, with a 12th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands in between.
2/14/10 - Kirkwood prepared MUCH REJOICING, f. 3 (Distorted Humor - Soaring Softly, by Kris S.) broke her maiden first out at Gulfstream Park and was picked a Thoroughbred Times NOTABLE MAIDEN WINNER. She is owned by AJ Suited Racing Stable and was bred by the Phillips Racing Partnership (Ky.).
Much Rejoicing got a perfect stalking trip under Elvis Trijillo, and then rallied to reel in the runner-up and score in her debut while leading home the trifecta for Central Kentucky-based sire Distorted Humor.
One of five winners from six starters out of 1999 champion turf female Soaring Softly, by Kris S., Much Rejoicing out finished Bialy to win by three-quarters of a length. Go for Jan finished third.
Much Rejoicing was a $385,000 purchase by her trainer James Toner at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale.1/22/10 - MSW COOL COAL MAN, 1 h, 5, Mineshaft - Coral Sea, by Rubiano is back. He won an allowance race at Gulfstream going 7 furlongs in 1:22 1/5 for owner Robert V LaPenta and breeder W S Farish, EJ Hudson Jr Irrevocable Trust, et al (KY).
Lifetime Record: 23-9-3-1, $690,631
Cool Coal Man, three-for-four over this strip, including a win in the 2008 GII Fountain Of Youth S., ran
away with a 12 3/4-length tally in Saratoga's Albert the Great S. Aug. 10. Placed in a stalking
second here, the favorite gained command on the turn for home and drew off to an easy victory.
1/3/10 - Multiple graded stakes placed winner You and I Forever, c. 5, A.P. Indy - You, by You and I, prepared for racing by Kirkwood Stables, ran second in the in the HAL'S HOPE, G3 on opening day at Gulfstream. He came along bravely on the rail in the stretch to challenge Quality Road, but could not get past the winner. He is owned and was bred by Edmund A. Gann. This horse has been graded stakes placed every year he has started.
Lifetime: 15 3 4 2 $254,652.
