GRACE PHIL, winning the South Ocean Stakes last night at Woodbine, latest stakes winner for Philanthropist.Norm Files photo
POWER AND GRACE IN SOUTH OCEAN
On a wet, windy and true November night, the 2yo filly GRACE PHIL ran to her name and won the South Ocean Stakes to remain undefeated in 2 career starts.
This is the newest stakes winner for Ontario sire PHILANTHROPIST, whose stud fee will double in 2012 from $5,000 to $10,000.
The 2yo was bought for just $12,000 at the local yearling sale from Mike Colterjohn’s Paradox Farm Inc. The mare is Loupe de Grace, a daughter of Explosive Red. Loupe de Grace has had 5 other foals to race including 13-time winner Explosive Greek and the useful 2yo filly Show Me the Ring.
The second dam is T P’s Wit, dam of MIGHTY QUINN.
GRACE PHIL earned a 61 Beyer Figure for her South Ocean win. She is trained by Robert Tiller for the unfortunately named stable – HOOF HEARTED.
With one month left to go in the Woodbine season, one may have to have a strong stomach to watch some of the action – only because, well, it’s the end of the season and horses are dropping in class, tired, racing in tough weather, you name it.
Last night it was the breakdown of BUFFALO WARRIOR at the wire of the 5th race,a maiden $10,000 claiming event. The War Front 3yo, the odds on favourite who had been a $1,000 purchase and was 2nd in two of three previous races with a big Beyer Figure of 64 last time, strolled away to a big win, felt a crack of the whip at the eighth pole and then broke down.
He was vanned off. Hopefully this hard trying youngster will be okay for Pat Parente, Aldo Ventrusca and partner. The gelding was down from $12,500 to $9,500 of the race last night.
CLEAR MARCH flipped in the gate before race 5 for $20,000. She was coming off a win for the same price.
Nice to see jockey EMMA-JAYNE WILSON win the Daily Double (Party Boy, Mimi Cooper) and she finishes the 2011 season with flair.
MIMI COOPER, coming up to her 7th birthday, won her 10th career race for $12,500. The $330,000 earner had never been that low in class but was dropping for Magi Moss who claimed her for $20,000. She was claimed last night by Martha Gonzalez.
Multiple stakes winner TURFISTE, a 5yo horse by Military, won the last race for just $8,000 claiming for G. Watts Humphrey and trainer Mike Doyle. The horse has won over $200,000.
There were 2 claims from the last race and one (Molinaro Warrior) was made by owner/trainer ANTHONY ADAMO, who has been embroiled in lawsuits etc. regarding racing horses at Penn National and his years training for MICHAEL GILL, read more:
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/64634/grand-jury-continue-probe-at-penn-national
This is just to remind us all at the end of the racing season, it’s been a long year, be careful with your horses, treasure them and honour them. BUFFALO WARRIOR ran his heart out last night to win his maiden….he was vanned off and we hope he is okay…Norm Files photo
don’t forget to donate this holiday season to donate….www.longrunthoroughbredretirement.com
BIG PURCHASE FOR BALLYCROY/KEMP at KEENELAND TUESDAY
Steve and Kathleen Kemp’s BALLYCROY TRAINING CENTRE in Loretto, Ontario has been a smaller player in the local racing and breeding scene in Ontario for a few years.
That is until Tuesday when the couple paid $240,000 for a Machiavellian mare in foal to Lemon Drop Kid.
BEAUTYANDTHEBEAST (GB), a Grade 2 stakes winner us carrying her 4th foal. Her first of racing age is unraced.
Ballycroy owns the mare Ring Star, dam of SOLITAIRE with Bill Hicks.
0287 CH.M. Beautyandthebeast (GB) Steve Kemp & Ballycroy Training Center 240,000
Indian Creek (Dave C. Parrish, Jr.), Agent
More Canadian buyers:
0399 DB/BR.M. Nadeshiko Anderson Farms 275,000
Four Star Sales, Agent
0415 B.M. Preseli (IRE) R. J. Bennett, Agent 50,000
Indian Creek (Dave C. Parrish, Jr.), Agent
0527 CH.F. Wildcat Marie Paradox Farm Inc. 75,000
Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent LIII
0643 B.F. Field of Clover Track West Racing Inc. 90,000
Cara Bloodstock (Bernard McCormack), Agent II
0686 B.F. Hula R. J. Bennett, Agent 120,000
Middlebrook Farm, Agent
0827 GR/RO.M. Rubywood R. J. Bennett, Agent 140,000
Lane’s End, Agent
OTHERS OF INTEREST…
Canadian champion GINGER GOLD sold for $55,000 yesterday at the Keeneland November sale. She was part of a dispersal of the late Mel Lawson’s horses, sold through Claiborne Farm.
GIN0658 GR/RO.M. Ginger Gold H & E Ranch 55,000
Claiborne Farm, Agen
The dam of Plate winner INGLORIOUS also sold, by Arosa Farms which is leaving the business….
0766 B.M. Noble Strike Rhianon Farms, Inc. 180,000
Three Chimneys Sales, Agent
Through Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday, the 2 top buyers…
Buyer # Head Total
Besilu Stables 9 22,400,000
Adena Springs 7 10,680,000
BESILU STABLES BUYS ROYAL DELTA
New owner Ben Leon spending millions at Keeneland
Royal Delta, may be trained again by Bill Mott or may go to Todd Pletcher, she is an $8.5 million gal at Keeneland. MattWooley/equisSport photo
Notes on Ben Leon Jr. – *Native of Oriente, Cuba; born December 4, 1944. Emigrated to the United States in 1961 where he completed his education in Miami, Florida.
*Leon Medical Centers Health Plans, Inc. 2005-Present
President and Founder of Health Management Organization
Health Management Organization (HMO) established in May 2005, currently boasts more than 27,000 members in Miami-Dade County.
The list of his roles, jobs, memnerships and other works is lengthy. He has a lot of involvement in PASO FINO stallions, “Profeta de Besilu” and “Simbolo de Besilu,” both Grand World Title Champions.
Softball, City Meals on Wheels etc.
from Louisville-Courier Journal…
LEXINGTON, KY. — The crowd swelled in the Keeneland Sales Pavilion Tuesday in the minutes before Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic winner Royal Delta was brought into the ring. When the bidding reached and passed $6 million, a hush fell over the crowd.
A longtime, leading thoroughbred breeder Frank Stronach of Adena Springs was in a bidding battle with a relative newcomer to thoroughbred breeding, Benjamin Leon, a South Florida health care executive who is seeking to build a top thoroughbred breeding operation with his Besilu Stables as he did with Paso Finos.
When the bidding stopped five minutes after Royal Delta entered the auction ring, Leon was victorious at $8.5 million, the fifth highest price ever paid at public auction for a broodmare or broodmare prospect and the third highest in the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale’s history. The battle drew applause from the Keeneland crowd.
Considering that Royal Delta also was sold as a racing prospect, the price for the 3-year-old daughter of Empire Maker would be a world record for a horse offered as both a broodmare and racing prospect, according to Keeneland’s records.
