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Multiple graded stakes winner Wanderin Boy, a career earner of $1,213,759 who earned four of his nine wins in graded stakes, was euthanized on Saturday after shattering the sesamoids in his left foreleg.

Stone Farm’s homebred Wanderin Boy broke down approaching the stretch of the $300,000 Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct. The Seeking the Gold horse was vanned off the track.

Trained by Nick Zito throughout a five-year racing career that included nine wins and six runner-up finishes in 25 starts, multiple Grade 1-placed Wanderin Boy earned his first stakes win in the 2005 Mineshaft Handicap (G3) at Fair Grounds. The seven-year-old horse also won the 2006 Brooklyn Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park and Ben Ali Stakes (G3) at Keeneland Race Course.

Wanderin Boy finished second to 2006 Horse of the Year Invasor (Arg) in the ‘06 Pimlico Special Handicap (G1). He entered the Cigar Mile Handicap off a runner-up finish to reigning Horse of the Year Curlin in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) on September 27 at Belmont Park, a race in which he also finished second in 2006.

Wanderin Boy won the 2007 Alysheba Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. He placed in six graded stakes races, including a runner-up finish to Lawyer Ron in the 2007 Whitney Handicap (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

Zito could not be immediately reached for comment.

Bred in Kentucky, Wanderin Boy is out of multiple stakes winner Viv Kid, by Pleasant Colony. He is a half brother to multiple Grade 3 winner Early Warning and multiple graded stakes-placed winner Vivid Sunset.

Courtesy: www.thoroughbredtimes.com

Trainer Steve Asmussen eclipsed his own record for most North American victories in a season when Prophesy rallied from off the pace to win the opening race on Sunday at Remington Park.

Prophesy’s victory gave Asmussen his 556th win of the year. He set the previous record in 2004 when he amassed 555 victories.

“We’ve had a tremendous year, made possible by some tremendous opportunities and my outstanding help,” Asmussen said.

Asmussen’s starters have amassed $21,986, 341 in purse earnings, 71 stakes wins, and 18 graded stakes victories thus far this season. He is best known as the trainer of reigning Horse of the Year Curlin, who has posted North American wins this year in the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1), Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1), and Woodward Stakes. His victories at Nad al Sheba Racecourse in the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on March 29 and a prep race on February 28 are not included in the milestone total. 

Curlin won the 2007 Preakness Stakes (G1), Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (G1), and Jockey Club Gold Cup en route to the Eclipse Award as Horse of the Year.

A native of Gettysburg, South Dakota, Asmussen resides in Arlington, Texas with his wife, Julie, and three children, Keith James, Darren Scott, and Eric Mark.

“I was watching the race, and my wife called to congratulate me,” Asmussen said. “I said, ‘They’re at the half-mile pole!’ ”

Asmussen received his introduction to horse racing from his parents Keith, a former jockey and trainer, and Marilyn, a trainer. Asmussen took out a jockey license at age 16 and rode for three years in New Mexico, California, and New York.

He began training Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses in 1986 and enjoyed his first major success with Valid Expectations, a multiple graded stakes winner.

A finalist for the Eclipse Award as outstanding trainer in 2004, ’05, and ’07, Asmussen has led the trainer standings at Lone Star Park, Oaklawn Park, Keeneland Race Course, Fair Grounds, Churchill Downs, Remington Park, Sam Houston Race Park, Ellis Park, and Retama Park.

Prophesy was rated in fourth by Luis Quinonez, wore down pacesetter Miss Pisqualie in the stretch, and held off runner-up Garbu and She to prevail by a half-length as the 1.30-to-1 favorite in the 7 1/2-furlong claiming race.

Asmussen, 43, leads the trainer standings at Remington. He tied the single-season record on Saturday when Padua Stables’ Union Strike won the tenth race at Fair Grounds.

Courtesy: www.thoroughbredtimes.com 

Thirty-five horses passed through the ring at the New York Breeders’ Sales Co. fall mixed sale on October 12 at Saratoga Race Course before a bidder named Susan Blais entered the action.

Blais made her presence known over the next few hours and was listed as the buyer of nine horses—eight weanlings and a broodmare—for $171,000. The reported purchases, which started with a Forest Grove weanling filly for $30,000, made Blais the sale’s leading buyer and accounted for 9.7% of the sale’s total receipts.

The only problem was Blais did not have established credit and did not pay for the horses. The New York Breeders’ Sales Co. has since voided those nine sales and returned the horses to their consignors.

According to statistics compiled by Thoroughbred Times, the sale now accounts for 148 horses as sold for $1,591,150, a decrease of 10.5% from the 2007 sale compared with initial reports that showed a less than 1% decrease in total receipts from a year ago. Average price dipped to $10,751, which is still an increase compared with the $10,462 the sale averaged in 2007.

An official at the New York Breeders’ Sales Co. office in Saratoga Springs, New York, directed questions concerning the sale and Blais’s involvement to its legal counsel, Greg Garofolo, who did not return calls seeking comment. Garofolo’s Topsmeade consigned one of the weanlings Blais bid on, a Pure Prize colt out of Love Doll that was reported as sold for $10,000.

Two of Blais’s biggest purchases both came from the consignment of Chris Shelli’s Fort Christopher’s Thoroughbreds. Blais went to $40,000 for a Consolidator colt out of Private Idaho, by Private Terms, and to $30,000 for a Smoke Glacken filly out of Hooked, by Known Fact.

“Our owners on those two particular horses, [who] were affected by [the voided sales], elected to take back those horses,” Shelli said. “We were lucky enough that our owners took them back and made it an uneventful situation. I can imagine that other people could be upset. It was an unfortunate event.”

Blais’s bids accounted for 37.3% of Shelli’s business at the sale. Blais also bid $40,000 for an E Dubai colt out of Foist consigned by Elaine Peck’s Rhapsody Farm Bloodstock.

Peck, who is listed as one of nine directors of the New York Breeders’ Sales Co., said she received instructions not to talk about the situation.

Of Blais’s nine purchases, seven came from the sale’s top consignors, including Joe McMahon’s McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds. Like Peck, McMahon is a New York Breeders’ Sales Co. director who did not comment on the situation.

The condition of sale at other sales companies such as Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton Co. indicate that it is the sales company’s responsibility to secure payment from supposed buyers. The condition of sale is not available on the New York Breeders’ Sales Co. website and the sale company did not return attempts for comment or a statement on its conditions of sale.

Courtesy: www.thoroughbredtimes.com

Trainer Steve Asmussen equaled his own North American record of 555 victories in a single season when Padua Stables’ Union Strike won the tenth race at Fair Grounds.

He has one scheduled mount remaining on Saturday night.

Earlier in the day, Asmussen earned win number 554 with Dr. W in the third race at Aqueduct. The 43-year-old trainer set the record in 2004.

Asmussen trains Curlin, the reigning Horse of the Year who is the all-time leading North American-based earner with $10,501,800. Through Friday, he leads all North American trainers in purse earnings for the season with $21,884,073.

Courtesy: www.thoroughbredtimes.com

A barn fire killed 28 horses early Thursday morning at the Riverside Downs training center in Henderson, Kentucky.

The Evansville Courier-Press reported that three horses survived the fire, which destroyed the barn.

Bill Shaw, fire chief of the Baskett (Kentucky) Fire Department, said there is nothing in the results from a preliminary investigation to suggest arson.

“But we have no idea at this point in time where it started in the building or what started it,” Shaw said.

“It’s just a terrible thing,” Jack Hancock, a manager at Riverside, told the Courier-Press. “The worst thing a horseman could ever hear is the word ‘fire.’”

The blaze was the third fatal fire at the Thoroughbred boarding and training facility over the last five years.

In January, six horses died in a fire that investigators blamed on a vending machine’s electrical cord.

In December 2003, 22 horses died in a fire that was found to have started from a heat lamp or heat bulb.

The grandstand of the former Quarter Horse and Standardbred racetrack was set on fire in November 2005. Four people were arrested and charged with third-degree arson.

Courtesy: www.thoroughbredtimes.com

Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) winner Zarkava was named Europe’s Horse of the Year during the 2008 Cartier Racing Awards on November 17 in London.

The unbeaten three-year-old Zamindar filly, who also captured top honors in the three-year-old filly division, won four Group 1 races this season to best Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Raven’s Pass, Vodafone Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) winner New Approach, five-time Group 1 winner Duke of Marmalade (Ire), and dual classic winner Henrythenavigator for Horse of the Year honors.

Bred and owned by the Aga Khan, Zarkava won each of her five starts in 2008, including the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (Fr-G1) (French One Thousand Guineas) over 1,600 meters (7.95 furlongs), the 2,000-meter (9.94-furlong) Prix de Diane (Fr-G1) (French Oaks), the 2,400-meter (11.93-furlong) Qatar Prix Vermeille (Fr-G1), and the 2,400-meter Arc de Triomphe against males. Zarkava rallied from off the pace in the Arc de Triomphe to beat the best middle-distance performers in Europe and win by two lengths.

“I want to say that, as a traditional breeder, Zarkava is probably the greatest reward that any breeder could ever have,” the Aga Khan said. “If you are in this industry and you like breeding and not only racing this is the greatest, greatest reward that any owner could have because whether we admit it or not—and men can be kind of macho—we depend on the ladies in this game. They are the ones who produce the winners. And some of them we try to make faster than others.” 

Trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, Zarkava won all seven of her starts in two seasons and earned $4,793,989. She was retired from racing the week after her Arc triumph and will be covered by 2003 Arc de Triomphe winner Dalakhani in 2009.

Princess Haya’s New Approach was named European champion three-year-old colt following season-ending victories in the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes (Ire-G1) and the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes (Eng-G1) for trainer Jim Bolger.

The Galileo (Ire) colt won in a deep division that also included Raven’s Pass, Henrythenavigator, Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) winner Conduit (Ire), and French Group 1 winner Paco Boy.

In the Cartier older horse division, Duke of Marmalade took top honors for owners Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor after winning five of seven starts and earning more than $2.2-million in 2008.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, the four-year-old Danehill colt won five consecutive Group 1 races—the Prix Ganay-Grand Prix du 40th Anniversaire Air Mauritius (Fr-G1), the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-G1), the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Eng-G1), the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Eng-G1), and the Juddmonte International Stakes (Eng-G1).

O’Brien also trained champion stayer Yeats, a winner in that division for the third consecutive year.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum was presented the evening’s only non-equine award when he received the 2008 Cartier/Daily Telegraph Award of Merit.

The award is given to a person or persons who, in the opinion of a special 20-member committee, did the most for European racing or breeding either over their lifetime or within the past 12 months.

Sheikh Mohammed was unable to attend the ceremony but was presented the award in Dubai.

“I am delighted by this award,” Sheikh Mohammed said. “I love racing and breeding. We race not only in England and Europe as Godolphin is all round the world. I am very, very pleased with my racing company and my breeding operation. I love racing and I will always be involved in the sport. Thank you very much.”

Courtesy: www.thoroughbredtimes.com

Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin will be retired to stud in 2009, but the four-year-old Smart Strike colt could make one final start if majority owner Jess Jackson finds an ideal opportunity.

Jackson said Curlin will stand his first season at stud in Kentucky in 2009 but he has not yet decided on his future home. Jackson will entertain offers from stallion operations and consider the possibility of standing Curlin at his Stonestreet Farms in Lexington.

“Curlin has proven himself across two continents with 16 starts, the honor of 2007 Horse of the Year, and the greatest North American money-earner in racing history,” said Jackson. “He always gave it his all and has done everything we have asked of him. I am proud to announce that he will start a new career in 2009 and contribute his soundness, stamina, durability, and athleticism to the breed. I am looking forward to seeing his foals compete and possibly exceed his unequaled racing record.” 

Curlin will remain in training with Steve Asmussen for now as his connections keep their options open for one final start.

“If an appropriate venue and purse are offered, we would consider one more race in 2008 for Curlin,” Jackson said.

Curlin passed Cigar this year to become the all-time leading North American-raced earner. He has won 11 of 16 starts with $10,501,800 in purse earnings.

Curlin won the 2007 Preakness Stakes (G1) and finished on the board in the other two United States classic races. Curlin had no trouble tackling older horses in the second half of his three-year-old campaign, winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) and closing his season with a dominant 4 1/2-length victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (G1) at Monmouth Park.

The Breeders’ Cup Classic victory cemented the 2007 Eclipse Award as Horse of the Year, and Curlin carried that momentum into his four-year-old campaign. He won a listed stakes in Dubai before rolling to a 7 3/4-length score in the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on March 29 at Nad al Sheba racecourse.

Curlin returned to the United States and won the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) on June 14 at Churchill Downs. After finishing second in the Man o’ War Stakes (G1) on July 12 at Belmont Park in his turf debut, Curlin reeled off consecutive wins in the Woodward Stakes (G1) and Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) to surpass Cigar ($9,999,815) as the all-time leading North American-raced earner.

Curlin finished off the board for the first time in his career when he faded to fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on October 25 at the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita Park. The Classic was Curlin’s first career start on a synthetic surface.

Courtesy: www.thoroughbredtimes.com

One year after reigning Horse of the Year Curlin returned for his four-year-old campaign, Thoroughbred racing will be treated to the return of another star in 2009. Undefeated Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) winner Zenyatta will remain in training next year for owners Jerry and Ann Moss.

Trainer John Shirreffs confirmed the four-year-old Street Cry (Ire) filly will return to racing for her five-year-old campaign after a well-deserved break.

“You can’t imagine what it would be like for her to leave the barn, that’s a big spot to fill,” Shirrefs said on Saturday. “This has just been a very exciting year with Zenyatta, so it’s really nice that she’s going to continue on.

“Mr. Moss is obviously a great sportsman and loves racing, so I think that played a big part in it. I know he really enjoys his horses.”

Zenyatta won each of her seven starts this season and cemented her credentials as a leading contender for the Eclipse Award as Horse of the Year with a last-to-first 1 1/2-length score in the Ladies’ Classic. Zenyatta uncoiled her devastating closing speed in the stretch of the Ladies’ Classic to sweep past seven challengers en route to a clear victory under regular rider Mike Smith.

“She’s at Hollywood [Park], she’s going to stay here. We’re not going to turn her out and let her down,” Shirreffs said. “She is going to walk for about 60 days and then we’ll start back with her.”

Zenyatta also won the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1), Vanity Handicap (G1), Lady’s Secret Stakes (G1), Clement L. Hirsch Handicap (G2), Milady Handicap (G2), and El Encino Stakes (G2) this season and figures to be an overwhelming selection for the Eclipse Award as champion older female.

“Actually, it was amazing just being a fan of hers as I am and watching because each race was a little more difficult and she had to step up. You know how hard it is just for a maiden to come back and win an [allowance race],” Shirreffs said. “To go to a Grade 2 and then a Grade 1, the intensity of racing just kept getting better and better as she went along, and she just did it so easily.

“Probably the most amazing thing about her is after her races she would be back at the test barn and after five minutes she caught her breath and was walking around like she had just been out for a workout. She just showed such strong recuperative powers, it was really unbelievable.”

A half sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Balance, Zenyatta is out of the winning Kris S. mare Vertigineux. She has amassed $2,144,580 in purse earnings with nine wins in as many starts.

Shirreffs, who has trained Grade 1 winners Tiago, After Market, Hollywood Story, Giacomo, Tarlow, Starrer, and Manistique, said Zenyatta certainly stands out as a special horse.

“I had a really nice filly by the name of Manistique and she won her first three races I think by a combined 30 lengths, and she was really talented,” Shirreffs said. “The thing about Zenyatta is she does things so effortlessly, and it’s really hard to fault her. Some horses get nervous or displace or something, but she doesn’t have any weaknesses at all.

“When they were telling me some of the fractions for the last sixteenth or her last eighth in some of her races, it really was amazing to read about it. To watch her, she just starts to lengthen her stride and stretches her head out and gets lower. She’s just special.”

Courtesy: www.thoroughbredtimes.com

The nominations for this year’s Cartier Racing Awards, European horseracing’s equivalent of The Oscars, have been announced.

Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Raven’s Pass has been retired to stand the 2009 breeding season at Darley’s Kildangan Stud in Ireland for $51,024 (40,000 Euros).

The three-year-old Elusive Quality colt won his final three starts for trainer John Gosden, capturing the Totesport.com Celebration Mile (Eng-G2) on August 23 at Goodwood, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Eng-G1) on September 27 at Ascot, and the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic on October 25 at the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita Park.

Overall, Raven’s Pass won six of 12 starts, with four runner-up finishes, and earned $3,658,556. He won Grade/Group 1 races on both turf and synthetic surfaces.

“Raven’s Pass will stand at Kildangan, but I’m sure we’ll be encouraging mares from Kentucky to [come to] County Kildare,” said John Ferguson, bloodstock adviser to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum. “A horse with genuine global appeal, he’ll give top breeders the opportunity to sell his offspring either in Europe or the [United States].”

Raven’s Pass was bred by Robert and Janice McNair’s Stonerside Stable in Paris, Kentucky. Stonerside campaigned the colt until September, when the McNairs sold their bloodstock operations to Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley operation.

Darley also took possession of about 80 horses in training, including Raven’s Pass and Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Midshipman. Raven’s Pass raced in the Queen Elizabeth and the Breeders’ Cup in the colors of Sheikh Mohammed’s wife, Princess Haya of Jordan.

Courtesy: www.thoroughbredtimes.com