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Dollars & Sense with Frank Angst: Last fall Matt Lehman bet a horse at Keeneland that left the gate at 21-1 and won, but then paid 8-1. Now the Kentucky state representative has filed a bill that aims to ensure a level playing field.

Keeneland concluded Day 1 of the January Sale with 319 head changing hands for $31,706,400, including private sales. The average was $99,393 with a median of $42,000.

Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm went to a sale-topping $3.2 million to acquire Tiffany Case (Hip 465), the dam of grade 1 winner Nitrogen, during the Jan. 12 opening session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale.

During the second and final day of Keeneland’s January Horses of All Ages Sale, Paramount Sales will offer two broodmare prospects out of grade 1-winning dams—Flawless Quality (Hip 706) and Legacy Defined (Hip 783).

Grade 1 winner Simply in Front returned to the spotlight Jan. 12, this time at the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, where she saw a winning bid of $2 million from Greg Tramontin, who views her as a foundation mare for his farm.

On the 50th episode of BloodHorse Monday: Morplay Racing's Rich Mendez on Shisospicy's 2026 campaign, Kevin Kilroy on Fair Grounds' Kentucky Oaks (G1) trail, Thoroughbred Racing Initiative's Damon Thayer updates on Florida decoupling.

The build-up to the 152nd Kentucky Derby (G1) continues Jan. 16-18 with Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, featuring Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Ted Noffey as the 6-1 individual favorite.

Tommy Eastham of Legacy Bloodstock talks about his Keeneland January consignment, first-crop sires, and digital sales in the latest BH Interview.

The chestnut colt (Hip 114) out of grade 2 winner Deceptive Vision becomes the early leader during opening day Jan. 12 at the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. The yearling is the second horse in the early offerings to sell above $500,000.

As California horse racing enters one of its most consequential years yet, the California Horse Racing Board's (CHRB) first meeting of the year this Wednesday includes a proposal for 19 weeks of fair racing in the North of California this year.

The National Horseman's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) has also weighed in, offering its support for a live racing circuit in NorCal at the behest of a group of Northen California owners and trainers, according to a letter the organization sent to the CHRB Jan. 7.

“We recognize under current state law that a California HBPA will not serve as the formal entity negotiating purses or other statutory duties, however we can be a strong and formal advocate for owners in Northern California. The national HBPA and our surrounding affiliates offer a suite of a services to our members that can assist the track operator in performing necessary regulatory, HISA and other backside related functions that are key to operating a successful race meet,” the letter states.

“HBPA is at its core horsemen helping horsemen,” Eric Hamelback told the TDN Tuesday about the thrust of the organization's overtures.

Proponents of a renewed racing program in the North argue it's needed to better support a NorCal breeding industry, as well as to provide better opportunities to keep and lure back horses to the state.

A recent TDN analysis of the fate of former NorCal horsemen and women since the closure of Pleasanton for Thoroughbred stabling in March found that a significant number of barns had either left the state or called it quits altogether. The overall impression among barns that maintained a footprint in the state was one of an average 50% decline in both earnings and starts.

On the flip side, proponents of the current consolidated program argue this existing system is needed to shore up the fragile California racing industry as a whole.

Any overlapping calendar in the North, they say, would siphon off and dilute valuable resources (both equine and financial) needed to maintain recent upticks in things like purses and field size in the South.

The proposal to be discussed Wednesday outlines 19 race weeks this summer between three different fair tracks:

• Tehama District Fair–Apr. 29, 2026, through June 9, 2026 (6 racing weeks);
• Alameda County Fair – June 10, 2026, through July 21, 2026 (6 racing weeks);
• Humboldt County Fair – July 22, 2026, through Sept. 8, 2026 (7 racing weeks)

The proposal is described as a joint mission between the Bernal Park Racing Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and the John C. Harris County Fair Racing Legacy. Harris was a mainstay of California's breeding industry who passed away last year.

The meeting agenda packet includes either a signed live race agreement or a memorandum of understanding between the three fair associations and Bernal Park Racing Management Company (BPRMC), headed by long-time owner-breeder George Schmitt.

Several important legal question marks appear to hang over the proposal, according to a CHRB analysis. This includes whether the CHRB is legally permitted to issue racing dates to BPRMC, as it is a newly established entity.

According to Schmitt, Bernal Park would provide services and the financial backing for these meets, while the individual fair associations are the entities requesting the race dates, similar in effect to how the Sonoma County Fair operated and carried out its race meet.

Among the conditions written into its proposal, BPRMC states that live racing will be for a minimum two days per week, three if field sizes allow. The base purse structure would be $130,000 a day. Post times would be set within a 15-minute window of any race in Southern California to avoid overlap.

Racing at Ferndale | Vassar Photography

While Humboldt and Alameda County Fairs routinely operated race-meets up until 2025, Tehama County hasn't hosted an official race-meet for decades.

As such, the facility will need upgrades to bring it up to par with state and federal safety requirements. According to the proposal, BPRMC has already invested $104,217 in track improvements that include 1,600 tons of new sandy loam to the half-mile track.

The road to this moment has been in the works for months. It's unclear how the CHRB will side. It was in June of last year the board last voted down two separate proposals to allocate 2025 race dates to entities at Ferndale and Fresno.

The Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC), Del Mar and Santa Anita have been among those this past year to similarly oppose a competing circuit in the north.

In internal email communications between CHRB staff and board members–obtained by the TDN–officials have raised other questions about the proposal, including whether the necessary financial commitments are in place to avoid a repeat of the Golden State Racing venture, which failed to meet its revenue expectations.

Held at Pleasanton, Golden State Racing concluded its meet at the end of 2024 with a roughly $800,000 purse account overpayment. The final Thoroughbreds were removed from the premises the following March.

Another key question officials have raised concerns the available horse inventory. Is it adequate enough to sustain two competing circuits in California?

Pleasanton during the Golden State Race meet stabled around 800 horses at its height.

According to the TOCs own numbers, there were around 269 more horses stabled in Southern California this October compared to a year prior-this, after a major one time infusion of horses from the North.

A sizeable number of formerly California-based horses are currently competing at Turf Paradise. Tom Ludt, the track's general manager, said there are about 345 ex-Californian horses stabled there.

According to the BPRMC proposal, it will collaborate with Turf Paradise to “enhance participation through shipping incentives, rewards/bonus programs.” The current Turf Paradise meet is scheduled to run through May 2.

The Bernal Park proposal states it has commitments from trainers formerly based in the north representing over 500 horses, and is expected to garner additional support from trainers in Southern California and from Oregon.

This year's 51-day live race meet at Emerald Downs is scheduled to run between May 2 and Sept. 7. Last year, the Washington track enjoyed significant participation from horses formerly stabled in Northern California.

Eric Hamelback | Jennie Rees

The HBPA's letter to the CHRB supporting the proposal mentions the possibility of an affiliate organization being established in Northen California, at the behest of Northern California owners and trainers.

There are two current horsemen's groups in California, the TOC and the California Thoroughbred Trainers (CTT). The TOC wields by far the greatest clout of the two, having final approval over individual race-meet agreements with the tracks among its other responsibilities.

According to Hamelback, he originally approached his affiliates in Washington and Oregon to discuss the idea of a Pacific Coast circuit–to shore up the racing and horse inventory on those states–before he was subsequently approached by individuals in Northern California about their situation.

Hamelback highlighted two key procedural hurdles before any HBPA affiliate could be established in Northern California. One would be approval by his board. The other would be legally determining whether in California there could be another horsemen's group that possesses the same authority as the current designated horsemen's groups.

“We are willing to expand and establish the NorCal HBPA, and while they may not be the legal horsemen's representative group in the state, they may be the legal horsemen's representative group at the track,” said Hamelback, pointing to Florida as a bit of a blueprint for how that might work.

The post CHRB Meeting Wednesday To Raise 19-Week NorCal Fair Date Proposal, National HBPA Offering Support appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and trainer Rudy Rodriguez have reached an agreement that will end Rodriguez's provisional suspension and allow him to return to training, HISA and Rodriguez announced jointly in a statement released Tuesday.

His suspension will officially end on Wednesday. Rodriguez has not started a horse since Dec.  13.

Rodriguez's problems began in November when HISA alleged that the NYRA-based trainer had violated rules related to “cruelty, mistreatment, neglect or abuse” of Thoroughbreds. At that time, HISA served Rodriguez with a “notice of violation and show cause.”

HISA had cited examples of 16 horses trained by Rodriguez that had been put on the Veterinarian's List since Nov. 22, 2024. It also alleged that none of the horses had undergone a lameness evaluation or diagnostic work performed since being placed on the Veterinarians' List.

Rodriguez was given a Dec. 12 hearing before hearing officer Armand Leone and testified that all of his horses had been well cared for. But Leone concluded in his report that Rodriguez “failed to follow the standard of care required for a Trainer and endangered the welfare of his horses.” Leone added that HISA demonstrated “good cause” for an immediate suspension of Rodriguez's license before the full case had been adjudicated.

After Leone's ruling, the provisional suspension went into effect Dec. 16. A provisional suspension means that persons operating in racing states under HISA's jurisdiction cannot participate in racing while their case is still in the process of being fully adjudicated.

In the joint statement, HISA recognized that Rodriguez had made assurances that he would be more careful going forward when it came to caring for his horses and seeing to it that proper tests and veterinary work took place in the cases of lameness or other injuries.

“The agreement reflects Mr. Rodriguez's commitment to ensuring that all his Covered Horses are cared for, trained and compete in a manner that reflects the highest standards of equine welfare and integrity,” the statement read. “As a result of this process and working collaboratively with HISA, Mr. Rodriguez has reviewed his existing practices and has agreed to implement remedial measures designed to ensure horses in his care receive timely and adequate veterinary intervention and care. The lifting of Mr. Rodriguez's provisional suspension is conditioned upon his $10,000 donation to a thoroughbred aftercare organization and continued compliance with the conditions set forth in the Agreed Order.”

An official ruling regarding Rodriguez's status was posted on the HISA portal site Tuesday, and it gave more details.

Rodriguez's registration with HISA was actually suspended for an additional six months, but that six-month suspension has been stayed and is contingent upon the trainer not committing another violation of HISA's Racetrack Safety Rules or violating the terms of the agreed order within a one-year period. The $10,000 donation must be made to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance or “a similar nonprofit organization dedicated to Thoroughbred aftercare.”

In addition, when Rodriguez has a horse placed on the Veterinarian's List for “unsoundness, injured or Epistaxis” he must agree to have an attending veterinarian conduct a complete evaluation of the horse within 48 hours of the time the horse is placed on the vet's list. Rodriguez also had to agree that Dr. Donald Baker will have “complete, unrestricted, and unfettered access to Rodriguez's barn and training facilities at any time, with reasonable notice…”

The TDN placed a call Tuesday to Rodriguez's attorney Clark Brewster, but, at the time of deadline for this story, had not heard back from him.

The post HISA And Rudy Rodriguez Reach Agreement; Provisional Suspension Lifted appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Edited Press Release

The late Edward L. Bowen, who distinguished himself as a journalist, author, historian and leader in the industry, will be honored with the Eclipse Award of Merit in recognition of a lifetime of outstanding achievement, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) said in a press release on Tuesday.

Bowen's contributions will be celebrated at the 55th Annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards at the Breakers Palm Beach in Florida Jan. 22.

Devoting more than 60 years to chronicling the many facets, personalities and rich history of Thoroughbred racing and breeding, Bowen, who passed away in January 2025 at 82, was editor-in-chief of The BloodHorse, authored more than 20 books, and later was president of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, and served for 35 years on the nominating committee for the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. He also was intricately involved in the Eclipse Awards from its inception in 1971, writing the opening remarks to each ceremony and writing scripts for all finalists videos.

“Ed's accomplishments in our sport are readily known,” said The Jockey Club President and COO James L. Gagliano. “Simply put, as a Thoroughbred breeding and racing journalist, Ed was peerless. And while he was perhaps the sport's greatest historian, his contributions to the health and welfare of the breed through his many years at Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation were a capstone of a great and dynamic career.”

Bowen was born in Welch, West Virginia, in 1942, and grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In 1963, he got a job at BloodHorse and by 1987 became editor-in-chief. He worked at the publication until 1993.

In 1994, Bowen made a career shift, when he was named president of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. During his 24 years at Grayson, Bowen helped propel the organization to remarkable success, which included raising $22 million for research projects for the equine species.

In addition to Grayson, Bowen's impact on the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was also significant. He was a museum trustee and served as chair of the Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. He also chaired the Joe Hirsch Media Roll of Honor Selection Committee, and also served previously on the Pillars of the Turf. Bowen was selected for induction into the Hall of Fame as both a member of the Media Roll of Honor and a Pillar of the Turf in 2025.

He also received many awards for his writing, including an Eclipse Award for magazine writing in 1992.

The post Bowen To Be Honored With Posthumous Eclipse Award Of Merit appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Petulante’s first foal, a colt out of the Union Rags mare Ragtime Suzy, born Jan. 10 at Irish Hill Farm in Stillwater. Skip Dickstein Photo.

New York-based stallion and graded stakes winner Petulante sired his first reported foal last weekend with a colt born at Irish Hill Farm in Stillwater.

Petulante’s first foal, a colt out of the winning Union Rags mare Ragtime Suzy, was born in the early morning hours of January 10. Lugamo Racing Stables LLC, which also owns Petulante, bred the newborn colt.

Petulante, a 6-year-old son of Arrogate, stands for $5,000 at Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions in Stillwater.

Out of the stakes-placed Uncle Mo mare Auntjenn, Petulante won four of seven starts with two seconds and a third for $254,555 in earnings. He won the Grade 3 Salvator Mile Stakes in 2023 at Monmouth Park.

Ragtime Suzy went 5-5-6 in 35 starts and earned $128,246 for Lugamo Racing Stables.

The Petulante colt is her first New York-bred foal and third overall, along with the 3-year-old Tapwrit colt Pampero and an unnamed 2-year-old filly by former two-time New York-bred Horse of the Year Tiz the Law.

Help us celebrate your newest arrivals
The New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. encourages breeders and owners to submit photos and information on their new foals. Click here to use our form or email info@nytbreeders.org or nytbfoals@yahoo.com. Please include useful information such as foaling farm, foal’s breeder, sire, dam, foal’s gender, email and a photo.

The post First foal for Irish Hill & Dutchess Views’ Petulante appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Hip 140, a filly by Practical Joke bred by Christopher Shelli and Ashford Stud, sold for $300,000 to highlight the New York-bred offerings Monday at the Keeneland January sale. Photo courtesy of Fort Christopher’s Thoroughbreds.

Three short yearlings and stakes winner/broodmare prospect Lottie Margaret sold for six figures Monday as New York-breds helped contribute to strong returns at the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale’s opening session.

Hip 140, a filly by Practical Joke out of the Arch mare Enough, led the way on a $300,000 bid from Cherry Knoll Farm.

Bred by Christopher Shelli and Ashford Stud, foaled at Fort Christopher’s Thoroughbreds in Fort Edward and consigned by Fort Christopher’s Thoroughbreds LLC, agent, the filly is a full sister stakes winner and $442,514-earner Mischievous Gal and the winning 4-year-old Tiz the Law colt Tiz Freedom. The latter provided a timely update to the filly’s pedigree with a victory in a maiden special weight event Sunday at Tampa Bay Downs.

Keeneland reported sales on 26 of the 34 New York-breds through the ring Monday, a group that brought $1,327,700, an average price of $51,066 and median of $20,000. Overall, Keeneland saw an increase of 75.3 percent in gross receipts for the opening session, along with a 9.9 percent rise in average price.

Hip 496, a son of multiple Grade 1 winner Gunite, brought the top price of the day for a New York-bred short yearling colt on a bid of $250,000 from Chief Stable.

Hip 496, a colt by Gunite bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds, brought $250,000 Monday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Burleson Farms.

Bred by and foaled at Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC in Hudson and consigned by Burleson Farms, agent, the colt is the first foal out of the West Coast mare Vita de Vito. Sequel New York purchased Vita de Vito, carrying the Gunite colt in utero, for $75,000 at the 2024 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Gunite also sired the other six-figure New York-bred short yearling of the session. Hip 498, who is out of the stakes-placed 10-time-winning Lemon Drop Kid mare War Canoe, sold for $100,000 to Horseplay Investments.

Bred by Barry Ostrager, foaled at Hidden Lake Farm in Stillwater and consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, the colt is the first foal out of the New York-bred mare War Canoe. She went 10-9-13 in 54 starts, placed in six stakes and earned $642,997 from 2017 to 2022.

Lottie Margaret, a 4-year-old daughter of Global Campaign offered as Hip 247, sold for $110,000 to Stoneriggs.

New York Oaks winner Lottie Margaret sold for $110,000. SV Photography.

Consigned by Four Star Sales, agent, Lottie Margaret went through the ring with a record of 3-1-1 in seven starts and earnings of $173,020. Campaigned by Madaket Stables and trained by Brad Cox, Lottie Margaret won the New York Oaks at Finger Lakes and finished second in the Maddie May Stakes at Aqueduct last year.

Bred by Steve Schuster and foaled at Old Saratoga Equine Services in Schuylerville, Lottie Margaret originally sold for $75,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale in August 2023. She’s the sixth foal and first stakes winner out of the Street Cry mare Passionate Diva, whose other foals include the three-time winner and stakes-placed Mashnee Girl.

The Keeneland January sale concludes with the second session at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

The post Short yearlings, stakes winner Lottie Margaret part of strong Keeneland January opener appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

LEXINGTON, KY – The 2026 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale opened with the first of two sessions Monday and optimism remained high across the board as a pair of top-class mares crossed the seven-figure mark for the first time in two years.

“Today was a great day,” said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “Obviously, it's a long day, but I think the structure of what we did in creating two big sessions sort of lent itself into building a momentum that carried through right to the end of the day.”

Indeed, the last horse through the ring was a weanling filly by Gun Runner (hip 542) who brought $575,000.

Leading all short yearlings on Monday was a colt by Gun Runner (Hip 114), who realized $800,000 from Marc Gunderson's MWG LLC.

“It's a reflection of a really positive, strong day,” Lacy continued. “Across the board, mares, short yearlings. I think the mares were incredibly healthy from, not just the top, but all the way through to a strong middle market. I think that was incredibly encouraging. There was a very large crowd, probably the largest crowd we've seen at a January Sale for quite awhile, even though we had a couple of inclement days. People got to see the horses and they responded.”

For the session, 319 horses sold for $31,706,400. Compressed from three sessions to two this year, the sale saw a 9.9% increase in average to $99,393 while the median dropped 35.38% from the same opening session last year to $42,000.

The opening session last year saw 200 horses bring $18,087,000 with an average of $90,435 and a median of $65,000.

With 106 horses reported unsold, the buy-back rate was 24.94%, down from 32.20% last year.

“We've got to take a lot of encouragement out of what we've seen in the numbers,” added Keeneland Senior Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach. “It's a new year, and the January Sale offers a lot of possibility that way. We were pleased with the catalogue when it came together and pleased that there were opportunities for people to buy foundation mares. Apart from having so many people on the grounds, there's also international presence and a lot of online presence as well. It's really a sale that offers a lot to the market and to see it come to life like it did today, it's very encouraging for 2026.”

Tiffany Case (Uncle Mo), the dam of Eclipse 3-year-old filly finalist Nitrogen (Medgalia d'Oro) topped the sale at $3,200,000 while GISW Simply in Front (Summer Front) was not far behind at $2,000,000.

“It's great to see someone like Greg Tramontin, who has bought the old Siena Farm, building up a broodmare band,” Lacy said. “He was really excited to get Simply in Front. Obviously an exciting mare to add to any roster. But for him, looking to curate a quality group of mares, it was great to see. We saw that all the way through from the established breeders like Mandy Pope. So it's a great cross-section of breeders and end-users as well as pinhookers. It's a very broad market. We see so much positivity in the marketplace that carried over from November. A lot of positives to take from it.”

The Keeneland January Sale concludes Tuesday with bidding beginning at 10 a.m.

Mandy Pope Adds Tiffany Case for $3.2m

Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm added another illustrious broodmare to their collection when Pope went to $3,200,000 to acquire Tiffany Case (Uncle Mo) (hip 465), who sold in foal to Not This Time.

Stakes placed in her racing career, the mare got on base with her first foal, producing SW/MGSP Love to Shop (Violence). Len and Jon Green's D.J. Stable, who bought Tiffany Case for $320,000 at Keeneland November in 2019 with Love to Shop in utero, has also bred Canadian champion 2-year-old filly and Eclipse finalist 3-year-old filly Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) from her. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency as agent for D.J. Stable, Tiffany Case makes it two in a row as her daughter, Love to Shop, co-topped last year's Keeneland January Sale at $700,000.

Mandy Pope purchased Monday's topper at the Keeneland January Sale | Keeneland

“This is what makes the January Sale so great,” Jon Green said of the result. “When you have an upper-echelon horse, it can get really electric.”

Tiffany Case's price tag marked the highest-priced horse sold at the Keeneland January Sale since champion 3-year-old filly Abel Tasman (Quality Road) brought $5,000,000 back in 2019.

“[Tiffany Case is] really a neat mare, she has an 'A' foal,” added Taylor Made's Frank Taylor. “Every time she has a foal, it's an 'A' individual, so that was good money for her. Not This Time had 17 yearlings bring over a million (dollars) this year and none of them were bred as good as this foal's going to be bred. Hopefully, they have luck with it.”

After quickly jumping past the million-dollar mark, the bidding began to slow as Pope traded bids into the $2-3 million range.

“Wow, you always love that, when a battle happens,” Taylor continued. “I thought the other mare [Simply in Front] could potentially top the sale. I was hoping [Tiffany Case] would, but the right people lined up on her and she presented herself very well here at the sale. I think with Not This Time, he's so hot right now and Nitrogen being champion 3-year-old [finalist], everything was lined up.”

D.J. Stable will retain Tiffany Case's 2-year-old Gun Runner filly, now named Sniper. Taylor noted that the filly, born in July, was a “beauty” and would race in North America for the Greens.

Simply in Front Leads Greenwell Trifecta

Greg Tramontin wound up the winner on a quick but exciting bidding battle for GISW Simply In Front (Summer Front) (hip 413), paying $2-million for the 5-year-old mare from the consignment of Richard G. Hogan, acting as agent for Colebrook Farms.

Signing the ticket as Greenwell Thoroughbreds, Tramontin continues to add mares for his recently-purchased Siena Farm–now renamed Greenwell Farms. Simply in Front marked Tramontin's third purchase on the day; he also picked up a close relation to the mare in Closing Statement (Blame) (hip 91).

“I came up here with my friend from Baton Rouge, and I came to help him,” Tramontin said. “I said, 'I'm not buying anything'. I've bought three! All of them will be good for the farm. That's what we're trying to do, raise some quality top-end horses.”

“We had her priced between two and three [million], and so did the consignor,” continued Tramontin. “So when it stopped, I was close to the end myself.”

Tramontin confirmed that the GI First Lady Stakes winner is set for a visit with Taylor Made's sire on fire Not This Time.

Purchased as a yearling at Keeneland September for $115,000 by Colebrook Farms, Simply In Front is a half-sister to MGSW Honor D Lady (Honor Code), a mare who brought $1-million herself in 2024 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale from agent Steve Young. Other siblings include her half-brother, stakes winner Churchtown (Air Force Blue), and half-sister, GI Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes winner And One More Time (Omaha Beach).

“It all happened fast for sure,” Hogan, who operates as Colebrook's racing manager, said of the bidding battle which hit the seven-figure mark in seconds. “We were hoping [the price would be] around there. I told the new owner, 'I hope she's as lucky for you as she was for us'.”

Gunderson Adds $800,000 Gun Runner Colt

A short yearling colt (hip 114) by leading sire Gun Runner kicked off the action early in the opening session, hammering down to $800,000 to Marc Gunderson, signing as MWG LLC. Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa consignment, the colt is out of Canadian GSW Deceptive Vision, a mare who also placed in the GI E. P. Taylor Stakes in her own racing career before producing MGSP Ancient Peace. The result continued a run of success for the family at Keeneland January as Deceptive Vision initially went Hill 'n' Dale's way for $900,000 at the 2021 edition. Ancient Peace then returned to the Keeneland January ring in 2023, topping the sale when selling to Boardshorts Stables [Flying Dutchman] for $650,000.

“He's an athlete,” Gunderson said of his newest acquisition. “You can't go wrong buying a Gun Runner with a good family.”

Simply in Front | Keeneland

Deceptive Vision is from a very talented Sam-Son Farm family including her dam, Sovereign Award-winning 3-year-old filly Eye of the Sphynx, and her full-brother, Canadian champion 3-year-old colt Eye of the Leopard (A.P. Indy). The family also includes a Canadian Horse of the Year in Quiet Resolve (Affirmed).

“I've been pretty active in the last few sales and [the price] was taken up right about where I thought it would be,” Gunderson continued. “It's a different market. I was maybe 12% higher than I thought I should have been. The market's carried [its momentum] forward from the last year, especially the second half of last year. I don't feel like the market's falling off one bit. What's started to happen is people are really focused now on what it's going to cost. So they're all focused on the same horses. If you're going to spend that kind of money, you have to work on your ROI rather than a risk-analysis aspect. You can still find plenty of good horses in three-to-five [hundred thousand] range.”

Gunderson, who signed for 22 yearlings at Keeneland September and an additional 20 horses in November, picked up 12 more Monday.

“We'll send him back to [Hill 'n' Dale] for a couple of days and see what we have,” Gunderson said. “We'll see if we can move him down to Ocala later and go from there. He might go to Saratoga. I don't mind running a horse, but I'll see how he pans out. One thing about this market, is there's a concentration of pinhookers who are saying 'I can't pay more than this number for a horse'. But the reality is, I'm not sure that's in play right now. If it's the best horse in a sale, and you're moving it on to be the best horse in the next sale, then you might be surprised what you can pay and still end up successfully pinhooking a horse.”

“He was always very good,” added Hill 'n' Dale's newly-appointed Director of Bloodstock Jes Sikura. “One we had a lot of excitement for coming into the sale. I knew there was a lot of popularity and [we're] thrilled with the result. [He has] a great page. His sister's with the Flying Dutchman and being bred to good stallions so there's a lot of things happening in the family. We're happy with [the price], he was deserving. Excited to see what his plans are for the future.”

Nothing But Net, presented by Muirfield Insurance:

Constitution Colt Brings Quick Return for Hunter Valley

A colt by leading young sire Constitution (hip 458) brought a quick return on investment for Hunter Valley Farm. Purchased by the operation in utero for $150,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, he was resold Monday for $310,000 to Clover Creek Bloodstock.

Team of Teams, stakes placed in France and a stakes winner in United States, is a daughter of MGSW/MGISP Teammate, making her a half-sister to MGSP Team Colors (Street Cry {Ire}). This is also the family of GSW/MGISP and top stallion War Front (Danzig).

“She was a lovely mare,” said Hunter Valley's Fergus Galvin. “She was a good runner. We loved her cover. And when the colt came out, he was nice from the get go. And we're really happy with the price.”

While Galvin initially planned to keep the colt through this year, the strength of the weanling market at last year's Keeneland November Sale convinced him to change his mind.

“We hadn't entered him in November,” Galvin said. “We were thinking, at the time he was born, that we'd hold onto him as a yearling. But then we saw how strong the weanling market was in November and that's why we went ahead and placed him in the January Sale. [The market has carried its momentum] 100%. We were resigned to the fact that we were going to keep him until next year and then [November] was so strong.”

Team of Teams is due this year to Maxfield and she also has an Uncle Mo colt bought by Repole Stables at last year's Keeneland September Sale.

“We're hoping a few things might happen for this mare,” Galvin continued. “We'll foal her out this but we haven't booked her yet [for 2026].

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 Tiffany Case (Uncle Mo) (hip 465), the dam of Eclipse finalist and Grade I winner Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro), lit up the board at Keeneland Monday when selling to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm for $3.2 million. The 13-year-old mare, in foal to Not This Time, was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, as agent for the Green family's D J Stable. D J Stable purchased Tiffany Case, in foal to Violence, for $320,000 at the 2019 Keeneland November sale. That in-utero foal became Love to Shop, who co-topped last year's January sale when selling for $700,000 to Pin Oak Stud.

The post Mandy Pope Goes to $3.2 Million for Tiffany Case, Dam of Nitrogen, at Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Simply in Front (Summer Front) (hip 413), winner of the GI First Lady Stakes at Keeneland last October for Colebrook Farms, had another star turn at the Lexington facility when selling to Greg Tramontin's Greenwell Thoroughbreds for $2 million during Monday's first session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. The 5-year-old, who sold as a broodmare prospect, was consigned by Richard Hogan, as agent for Colebrook Farms. Out of Complicated (Blame), the mare is a half-sister to And One More Time (Omaha Beach), who won the 2024 GI Natalma Stakes, as well as to multiple graded winner Honor D Lady (Honor Code).

The post Tramontin Buys Simply in Front for $2 Million at KeeJan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Just eight days shy of his 101st birthday, Harold Gross, who owned, trained and bred horses, primarily in Michigan, passed away on Jan. 4.

Gross was born in Germany in 1925 before his family emigrated to the Dominican Republic. He later spent time in Haiti before he moved to the U.S. as a teenager, settling in Detroit.

Gross' life involved far more than horse racing. Gross was a World War II veteran and took part in D-Day Invasion, storming Normandy Beach. Because he spoke fluent German and French, he was used as an interpreter at the Nuremberg Trials. Before the Nuremberg Trials, he was a key figure in the field of Military Intelligence, using his language skills to interrogate German prisoners. He was drafted into the Army at the age of 18.

On Jan. 15, 2025, Gross was recognized in the Congressional Record-Extension of Remarks,  by Congressman Darren Soto of Florida.

“Harold Gross's 100 years are a testament to resilience, love, and the enduring spirit of a veteran who has lived life to the fullest. His story inspires those around him, a beacon of wisdom and joy,” Soto said upon the occasion of Gross' 100th birthday.

Gross was introduced to horses by his grandfather, who was a horse trader in Germany, and chose racing as his field following World War II and his return to Michigan.

In the fifties, Gross and his wife, Elaine, bought their first horse, and he continued to stay active in ths business for nearly 65 years. According to Equibase, Gross started his last horse as a trainer in 2011 and the last horse he owned raced in 2023. Gross was 98 at the time. He was a longtime member of the Michigan Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association.

The Gross family also opened the “Boot and Saddle Shop,” a horse supply and saddlery store. The store was based in Farmington, Michigan, but Gross branched out and opened stores on the backstretches of racetracks in Michigan and Illinois.

When asked the secret to Gross's longevity, his daughter, Marci Powell, said: “He was a runner himself and always kept fit. He always ate right. He took care of himself and he taught me to make sure I stayed healthy.”

 

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Mo Plex, winner of the Grade 3 Sanford as a 2-year-old in 2024, will stand his first season in 2026 at Mountain View Farm in New York. Coglianese Photo.

Multiple graded stakes-winning New York-bred Mo Plex will join the stallion roster for the upcoming season at Mountain View Farm in Gansevoort.

The 4-year-old son of Complexity out of the Uncle Mo mare Mo Joy will stand his first season for a syndicate for $2,500. Mo Plex, a Grade 3 winner at 2 and 3, will join the roster that also includes multiple graded stakes winner Leinster ($7,500) and Grade 1 winner Fire At Will ($2,500).

“We’re expanding our wings a little more,” said David Cannizzo, who owns and operates Mountain View with his wife Carolyn. “We’ve added Mo Plex and there might be one more before the season starts next month.”

Cannizzo also announced the hiring of Bill Leak to serve as Mountain View’s stallion manager. Leak, a nominee for New York Farm Manager of the Year in 2024, previously served in similar roles in the state including recently at Irish Hill Century Farm in Stillwater.

Several players came together to stand Mo Plex at the new Mountain View operation, including the Cannizzos, Chris Gracie of Gracie Bloodstock, Legion Bloodstock, Marshall Gramm of Ten Strike Racing and trainer Jeremiah Englehart.

“A bunch of us came together,” said Englehart, who trained the colt for owners Rick Higgins and Howard Reed’s R and H Stable. “The group was led by Chris Gracie and Marshall Gramm … Marshall was very interested. One day he was asking me, ‘what’s going on with Mo Plex?’ in terms of him being a potential stallion. That was great, to have someone like him thinking about the horse that way. I’m very excited and thankful we got a deal done. Rick Higgins and Howard Reed, they were patient with me and in the end it paid off.”

Mo Plex added to his resume with a victory in the 2025 Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown. JJ Zamaiko Photography.

Mo Plex started his career with three straight victories that included the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes and Funny Cide Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. Third in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct in his fourth start, Mo Plex earned finalist consideration for champion New York-bred 2-year-old male in 2024.

Mo Plex won two stakes in 2025 – the Bay Shore at Aqueduct and Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown before a fourth in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga. He won five of 10 starts and earned $790,000.

“He’s a horse that was very fast, loved to work and could carry his speed over a distance,” Englehart said. “He really was a pleasure to train. He’s the type of horse that a lot of people would be interested in if they have a mare that has speed and they’re looking to carry that speed over a distance. I’ve always thought he would do well as a stallion.”

Bred by Everything’s Cricket Racing and foaled at Stonegate Stables in Fort Edward, Mo Plex joined R and H Stable on a $45,000 bid by Legion Bloodstock for Englehart’s JCE Racing at the OBS April sale as a 2-year-old.

 

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Longtime voice of Southern California racing Trevor Denman will be honored with the Special Eclipse Award for Career Excellence.