The weekly TRC industry digest - a round-up of international racing news from the past week.
California Chrome to stand in Japan
North America: Taylor Made Stallions has announced that the California Chrome Syndicate has reached an agreement with the JS Company of Japan to purchase California Chrome.
Under the terms of the agreement, the 50-share syndicate will have the first right of refusal if California Chrome is ever sold, and, on retirement from breeding, he can live out the remainder of his life at Taylor Made farms in Kentucky.
Taylor Made’s Duncan Taylor called the 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes champ the “best horse we have ever owned”, adding that the son of Lucky Pulpit, who stood for $35,000 this year, “will now have the opportunity to have offspring performing in three different countries.” He had shuttled to Sumaya Stud in Chile in 2017-18.
California Chrome bred 473 mares in his first three books at Taylor Made Stallions and his first crop of yearlings sold this year for a top price $325,000.
Ghaiyyath brother goes down in Goffs history book
Europe: A new record for a colt foal capped the third day at the Goffs November Foal Sale as a full brother to 2019 G1 winner Ghaiyyath sold for €1.2 million to Godolphin.
The son of world #1 sire Dubawi was drafted from the Castlebridge Consignment, sold on behalf of breeder Dermot Weld, and was knocked down to Anthony Stroud to also become the second-highest-priced foal of all time at Goffs.
“He'll be a good addition to Godolphin's homebred programme. That was our last bid, we weren’t going to go any further, but we’re very happy to get him," said Stroud.
The top-priced filly at the sale was a Dark Angel half-sister to Irish 1000 Guineas winner Just The Judge, who sold to Shadwell Estate Company for €575,000.
The seven-figure Dubawi colt’s price tag contributed to November Foal Sale (part one) turnover of €25,751,800, which was up by 26 per cent year-on-year.
The average and median prices also rose, with the former up 16 per cent to €49,050 and the latter up seven points to €30,000. The clearance rate was 81 per cent, with 525 of 645 offered foals finding a buyer.
Full results can be viewed here
French role for Robin Of Navan
Europe: Harry Dunlop’s stable star, Robin Of Navan, is set to take up stallion duties at Haras de la Barbottiere in France next year.
The 6-year-old American Post chestnut was a €10,000 Arqana Deauville October Yearling Sale purchase by Con Marnane. He resold for €47,000 to Anthony Stroud Bloodstock at the company’s breeze-up sale. Introductory covering fee has been set at €3,000.
Barbottiere’s Stephane Werle, said, “We hope he’ll establish himself as a dual-purpose stallion because he proved himself talented on good ground, while American Post covered almost exclusively flat-bred mares yet has had good success in the jumping sphere. His dam is by Muhtathir and he is primarily a jumps stallion, and a good damsire at that.”
Key groups form new Safety Coalition
North America: America’s leading Thoroughbred racing organisations have announced the creation of an industry-led effort to unify and enhance existing protections and work together to develop new reforms to ensure the safety of the sport’s equine and human athletes.
Partnering together under the name Thoroughbred Safety Coalition, they seek to create and implement a series of significant safety, medication, operational and integrity guidelines across Thoroughbred racing to ensure the well-being of horses and jockeys and increase transparency and accountability.
The coalition is composed of organizations that have individually led efforts to modernize the sport, and are now using their combined resolve, expertise and resources to advocate for enhanced safety measures throughout Thoroughbred racing.
Coalition founding members include Breeders’ Cup Limited, Churchill Downs Inc., Keeneland Association Inc., the New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA), Del Mar Thoroughbred Club and The Stronach Group. Together they represent more than 85 per cent of Graded stakes racing Stateside.
“Thoroughbred racing is steeped in tradition and we want the sport to live on for generations to come, and that is only possible with all of us working together to ensure that the safety and well-being of our athletes is our top priority,” said Drew Fleming, President and CEO of Breeders’ Cup Limited.
A full list of these measures can be found here.
Aussie boost for Phoenix
Middle east: Phoenix Thoroughbreds were celebrating a first homebred success in Australia on Sunday after Farnan ran out an impressive winner at Canberra on debut. Out of the Dubai-based owners’ G3-winning mare Tallow, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt was a five-length winner in the colours of partners Aquis Farm.
It’s a noteworthy result for Phoenix, who have ambitions to play a significant role in the breeding industry in Australia.
“It’s always great to have a winner, but it’s always extra special when you’ve bred them,” said Phoenix Thoroughbreds CEO Amer Abdulaziz. “We have big plans for our breeding operation in Australia, so to have a potentially smart winner is a welcome boost. The bloodstock industry in the country is an integral part of our business model, and we hope to continue to grow our influence and success in the future.”
Elsewhere in racing …
Europe: Leading British jump jockey Bryony Frost has become the first person to be sponsored by Jockey Club Racecourses. More here
North America: The Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) board approved further regulations and stacking prohibitions for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and intra-articular (IA) injections. More here
North America: Spendthrift Farm has partnered with Robicheaux Ranch and will offer the opportunity for Quarter Horse mares to breed with leading Thoroughbred stallion Into Mischief and Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Mitole for the 2020 breeding season. More here
North America: University of Kentucky Ag Equine Programs will host the ninth annual Equine Showcase at the Fayette County Extension office on January 24-25. More here