sign in sign up
<<
Home , Flares (horse), Lookin At Lucky, Magician (horse), Red Rocks (horse), Uncle Mo

SPECIAL January 13, 2014 www.PaulickReport.com

Keeneland Sales Legends: Arthur B. Hancock, Sr. By Natalie Voss

It’s remarkable what great impact little events of chance “As long as I can make enough on the farm to feed these can have on the course of history. mares, I am going to keep them,” Hancock said at the time. In the 1840s, a southbound traveler in North Carolina discovered that his horse had developed a sore back. He When the farm was on more certain footing, Hancock happened to pass a small farm belonging to the Hancock wisely took advantage of the depressed market to pick up family and encountered one of the Hancock boys. The British-born stallion Wrack for just $20,000; the horse man proposed a trade: his sore but nicely-conformed would go on to become the damsire of Triple Crown horse for one of the boys’ simpler but sound horses. After winner and winner Flares. The consulting with a little brother, the boy agreed to the former steeplechaser was one of several horses Hancock trade. The little brother, Richard Johnson Hancock, made brought across the Atlantic, including and the stranger’s horse into the best racing Quarter Horse Blenheim, who were bought in some of the first known in the local area. stallion syndicates.

That deal led to a longtime love of horses for Hancock, but it wasn’t until after the Civil War that he was able to continued on Page 5 explore his love of racehorses. Wounded in battle, he hap- pened to find refuge from the Yankee army in the woods near Charlottesville, Va. He was taken in by the Harris family, which owned a large estate. Like something out of the pages of a romance novel, he fell in love with one of the Harris girls, married her, and ultimately took over the family’s farm, Ellerslie.

Several decades later, Richard Hancock made sure all his sons knew horses from nose to tail before they left for col- lege, but it was his youngest son who fell in love with the farm. Arthur Hancock’s early years at Ellerslie were spent taking his father’s horses north for sale in New York, and when he finished his degree at the University of Chicago, he returned home to help Richard run the farm. Richard handed over operations to him not long after in 1909. At that point, the commercial bloodstock market was at a low point as officials in New York threatened to halt racing in the state. Hancock trimmed his stock down to twelve mares and hunkered down, determined to wait out the financial storm. ASK RAY

QUESTION: Will we ever see Garrett Gomez ride in another race?

ANSWER: My hunch is yes. Garrett, who hasn’t ridden since summer of 2013 when he suffered a relapse on his 10 years of sobriety, has gone through personal and family issues. When those are resolved, he’ll be back in the saddle. www.PaulickReport.com Page 2 Stallion Spotlight Uncle Mo By Frank Mitchell

Well-represented both by in-foal mares and by short year- racehorse, Uncle Mo was a revelation. Unbeaten in three lings, Uncle Mo is the second in a quartet of juvenile cham- starts at 2, the big, brawny was a man against boys pions that Coolmore acquired for its Ashford Stud opera- with his romps in the G1 Champagne and Breeders’ Cup tion here in . All champions at 2 and all by different Juvenile. Those made him champion of the division, and the sires and from different sire-line branches, the four are Un- great question for the untried stallion is whether his off- cle Mo (by , male line), Lookin At Lucky spring will follow their sire’s example. (, Mr. Prospector), Hansen (Tapit, A.P. Indy), and Shanghai Bobby (Harlan’s , ). The case for Uncle Mo’s success will be helped by the breeding program at Ashford. Champion and classic winner They get a high volume of mares Lookin At Lucky (by Smart Strike) to their stallions, and Uncle Mo was the first of the four, and his ini- has been one of their most popu- tial racers came to the track last lar. His mates will have a great va- season. Lookin At Lucky finished riety of types and bloodlines, and the season as the third-ranked those which fit him best should be- freshman sire, and several of his come obvious more quickly.As an offspring appear likely to improve individual, Uncle Mo was notably with time and distance. precocious, and that is even more unusual because he is a towering Now, Uncle Mo is on deck, and his beast of a horse. He is tall, like his first crop will be highly anticipated tall and toweringly talented sire, at the premium sales of juveniles in Indian Charlie. The latter was the training. Then we will see how the best racer by the very talented first of them fare at the top tracks racehorse and sire . This against the other hot young pros- is a line of big horses, horses with pects of the coming season. size and speed and class.

If the past is a guide to the future and to the horse’s pros- Uncle Mo is a natural inheritor of this tradition, and his pects as a sire, the offspring of Uncle Mo will begin to prog- combination of size and mature development proved a le- ress strongly through the spring, come out to race in the thal combination against the competition. If he manages to summer and fall, then show their form through the fall. So pass along the required combination of those, plus class far, the first crop yearlings have been very well-received at and soundness, then Uncle Mo could challenge for leader- the select sales of 2014, some of them bringing excep- ship at the top of the freshman sire list. PRS tional prices, even better than their sire.

As a sales horse, Uncle Mo was a good prospect, but as a

10-70% off MY Up to 28% off Up to 40% off ADVANTAGE Exclusive Member Up to 15% off Up to 30% off Discounts Call us toll-free at 866-678-4289 or visit NTRAadvantage.com. TOP-RATED SONS OF AT 3 YEARS RANK STALLION 2015 FEE TIMEFORM RATING 1 MAGICIAN $12,500 128p 2 Red Rocks $12,500 124 3 Midas Touch $7,500 122 4 Treasure Beach $10,000 120 5 $25,000 118 At 2 6-length maiden winner at the Curragh At 3 ❝Just a remarkable performance 3½-length Classic winner over 1m off a five-month layoff to a race 4-length Derby Trial winner over 15 16 m like that❞ Mike Watchmaker, after the BC Turf-Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner over 1½m

By the best sire in the world GALILEO His dam is 6-furlong Stakes winner ABSOLUTELYFABULOUS His damsire is European Champion Sprinter

OPEN WEEK at Ashford Stud Sat Jan 10 - Fri Jan 16, 11am-3pm NEW FOR 2015 Hot food served all day FEE: $12,500 • ASHFORD • ASHFORD • ASHFORD • • ASHFORDCall •Mel A SHFORDfor pick up from• ASHFORD • Keeneland to Ashford 859-327-0452

Aisling Duignan, Dermot Ryan, Charlie O’Connor, Andre Lynch, Adrian Wallace or Scott Calder. Tel: 859-873-7088. Fax: 859-879 5756. Why Breed & Own in Pennsylvania?

n $35 million paid in PA-Bred Awards, Purses & Bonuses

n 500 days of racing at three PA racetracks

n 500+ restricted races just for PA-breds

n 22 restricted stakes races totaling $1.68 million in Purses

n Breeder award bonus of up to 30% of purse earned on all races (1st through 3rd), with no cap on earnings

n Bonus of 25% of purse earned to owner of PA-Sired horse in all PA-Bred stakes races (1st through 3rd)

n Bonus of up to 40% of purse earned to owner on overnight races (1st through 3rd), with no cap on earnings

Send your mare to PA within 14 days of purchase at the January Keeneland Horses of All Ages Sale so her foal can be registered a PA-Bred! Please visit www.pabred.com for details.

THE PA-BRED PREMIUM EARN MORE!

701 E. Baltimore Pike, Suite E Kennett Square, PA 19348 610-444-1050 www.pabred.com www.PaulickReport.com Page 3 Honor Roll Twilight Eclipse a ‘Sound’ Investment for West Point By Scott Jagow

winning his first two starts routing on the turf at Indiana Downs. Other observers, including bloodstock agent Steve Castagnola, took note of the performances made possible by Langemeier’s foresight and care. Castagnola arranged a sale to West Point — the $1,000 short yearling was now a 3-year-old fetching nearly $200,000.

“Two things – how good his videos looked in his two races. And he just looked like he was a sound horse who had a really good outlook and a nice attitude,” said West Point President Terry Finley. “It was good for everybody involved. John made a really nice profit, and we had a good prospect on our hands.” Lauren King In the ensuing seasons, Twilight Eclipse has proven a per- 2009 Bay Gelding, Purim--My Twilight Dancer, by Twi- fect partnership horse for his dozen investors. He’s started light Agenda. Consigned by Select Sales, agt., to 2010 consistently at the top levels on the grass and has shown Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, purchased up nearly every time, hitting the board in 13 of 21 starts, by John Langemeier for $1,000. earning six victories and nearly $1.3 million.

One of the great arts in this game is seeing something very “His stamina is just through the roof,” said Finley. “He might few others see. At the 2010 Keeneland January Horses not be the most talented older turf horse in the country, of All Ages sale, John Langemeier spotted talent in a short but he’s obviously shown that he’s been right there.” yearling that hadn’t been prepped and didn’t stack up well against his fellow auction candidates. Offered up because Twilight Eclipse scored his first victory for West Point in the colt’s breeder, Epona Thoroughbreds, had filed for the G2 W.L. McKnight Handicap at Calder in late 2012, bankruptcy, Langemeier bought him for just $1,000. then struck again in the G2 Pan American Stakes at Gulf- stream Park four months later, setting a world record for “Conformationally, he was very good,” Langemeier told This 1 ½ miles on the turf. He repeated in the McKnight a year is three years later. “But a lot of people, when later and captured the G2 Mac Diarmida Stakes next out they buy horses at the sale, they want them to look like they at Gulfstream to begin 2014. can put the tack on them that day. They don’t want to wait.” A trip to Dubai a month later was unsuccessful, and despite Langemeier waited patiently, for two and a half years, as not winning after that last year, his season could hardly be the son of the Dynaformer stallion Purim developed at considered a failure. Twilight Eclipse faced undefeated and Spooky Hollow Farm, the Kentucky facility run by Langemei- almost certain Male Turf Champion (and Horse of the Year er and his wife, veterinarian Clara Fenger. When the own- finalist) Main Sequence four times in Grade 1 events, finish- er/trainer felt his charge was ready, Twilight Eclipse hit the ing no worse than third and beaten twice by only a neck. track and immediately flashed his Dynaformer bloodlines, One of those thirds came in Twilight Eclipse’s final race of the year, the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita.

Finley said the 6-year-old gelding will be pointed for a title RANDOM FACTS defense in the Mac Diarmida Stakes next month, where, yes, he’ll probably have to face Main Sequence again. But by Ray Paulick while the Dubai World Cup may be on the agenda for his Kentucky-breds won 322 or 66 percent of tenacious rival, Twilight Eclipse plans to stick to a domestic all North American Graded Stakes races campaign that hopefully ends with another start in the BC in 2014. Ontario-breds were next with 34 Turf. Graded Stakes won, followed by Florida (25), California and New York (20 each), Great Britain (12), “Horses that compete fairly successfully at the top end of Illinois and Ireland (10 each), Pennsylvania (7), and our business are very hard to come by,” Finley said. “You Maryland and Virginia (6 each). give thanks, and we really count our blessings that we’ve come across a horse like this.” PRS www.PaulickReport.com Page 4

Back Ring Getting to know Conrad Bandoroff

Conrad Bandoroff, a senior at Sewanee: The University of the ing their product, and their South, is the son of Craig and Holly Bandoroff of Denali Stud. campaigns are successful. The Australian public has a What area of the sport would you like to work in once you grad- profound appreciation and uate, and why? admiration for the sport, and After I graduate, I have aspirations of doing the Darley Flying the big days of racing draw Start, but my ultimate goal is to pursue a career in the breeding huge crowds and impressive industry. I’ve spent time working in various aspects of the sport, handles. Their industry has but I’ve always enjoyed my time at the farm and the sales the done a good job of making rac- most. The idea of breeding a mare, raising her foal, selling that ing appeal to my generation. A foal at auction, and eventually watching that horse go on to suc- day at the track is a very social ceed on the racetrack excites me. event, and any given Saturday at a Sydney track, you see a lot What were you most surprised to learn from your jobs and of Millennials enjoying a day at the races. I think the U.S. is im- internships so far? Bandoroff with ’s first foal, I’ve grown up going to the sales and seeing the consignor’s per- proving in terms of marketing, born during his time in spective, so my time with Pete [Bradley, of Bradley Thorough- but we could learn a lot from breds] allowed me to be on the other side of the fence. Pete really the Aussies on that front. helped me to develop my eye for a horse. I find that in Australia, the two states of Victoria and New South Wales often compete against each other on dates, a problem While I was in Australia, I was lucky enough to have an internship we often encounter here in the states. The problem lies in two at Arrowfield Stud under John Messara. I spent several weeks in separate, independent bodies between the two states that make their Sydney offices doing pedigree research and working on vari- coming to a resolution difficult at times. ous projects, but during my stay in the office I was able to spend a lot of time with Mr. Messara — accompanying him to evaluate As a second-generation horseman, what change are you most stallion prospects and attending meetings at Racing New South hoping to see in horse racing during your career? Wales as part of his duties as the chairman of that entity. My time I think the biggest thing I hope to see as I set out for a career in at Arrowfield gave me insight into the Australian industry, as well the industry is addressing our medication policy in the U.S. Espe- as how a world-class stallion station operates. cially as someone who wants to go into breeding, I think that if we don’t establish a uniform medication rules and discontinue our What do you think the Australian racing industry is doing right administration of race-day furosemide, we will continue to alien- (and what is it not doing right) that the U.S. industry could ate ourselves from international buyers—and eventually our prod- learn from? uct will begin to be seen and labeled as tainted. PRS The racing industry in Australia does a very good job of market-

About

For advertising inquiries please call Emily at 859.913.9633

2015 Virginia Association Ray Paulick - Publisher [email protected] Emily Alberti - Director of Advertising [email protected] STALLION SEASON AUCTION Scott Jagow - Editor-in-Chief [email protected] Tuesday, February 10 Mary Schweitzer - News Editor [email protected] THE BIGGEST LIST OF QUALITY SEASONS! Natalie Voss - Features Editor [email protected] Emily White - Weekend Editor [email protected] New NG seasons added daily– Frank Mitchell - Contributing Writer KY, FL, MD, NY, PA, TX, and more! COPYRIGHT © 2014, BLENHEIM PUBLISHING LLC For more information please visit www.vabred.org today www.PaulickReport.com Page 5

continued from Page 1 In 1910, Hancock’s wife Nancy inherited 1,300 acres of land in Bourbon County, Ky. Hancock initially intended to use the farm that would become Claiborne as an overflow facility for Ellerslie, but after a few years it became clear that the Kentucky farm was thriving and was a suitable home for the European stock Hancock liked to import. Hancock brought his farm superintendent with him from Ellerslie to do some building on the Kentucky property. Decades later, Arthur “Bull” Hancock Jr. recalled the moment to the Courier Journal & Times Magazine:

“They built the stud barn and the barn up on the hill and that barn there on the right … and when they finished my father said, ‘Well that’s all the barns we’ll ever need here.’ I can remember him saying that.”

Those two buildings would have held some 60 horses, and of course, the farm grew larger than that. Hancock’s roster of European stallion blood had made him leading breeder by the mid-1930s; between 1917 and 1956, horses he bred won over 9,000 races and $15 million.

That power, combined with his preference for English and French bloodlines, translated into success in the sales ring, too. Hancock imported British-born mare Erne as a yearling in 1922 and crossed her with Blenheim, Sir Gallahad, and , producing in-demand sales horses, among them Orange Blossom stakes winner Gallerne. Hancock also purchased Penicuik in England and bred her to Hyperion before shipping her to the U.S. for sale. She sold to Calumet and foaled winner , who subsequently sired Ponder. Hancock also sold Calumet Dustwhirl, eventual dam of . By the 1940s, Hancock’s breeding herd made him the most prolific consignor at sale in New York and Hialeah—perfect qualifications to help him lead the charge to establish a sale site at Keeneland.

Hancock held onto the reins at Claiborne very nearly until his death in 1957 at the age of 81. Arthur Jr. took over the farm and the rest, as they say, is history. PRS

DISCOVER THE DIFFERENCE Jan 3: finnegans wake wins San Gabriel S.-g2

Hidden Brook

Jan 3: night prowler Jan 4: paulassilverlining wins Dania Beach S.-g3 wins $100,000 Ruthless S.

______2015 Stakes Winners Competitive Rates Foaled / Raised at Hidden Brook boarding • breaking & training • sales prep • sales consignments dan Hall Sergio de Sousa Mark roberts Bryan Cross 859.621-0526 859.983-1897 352.812-6724 859.361-9027

Paris,1770 KY Winchester 40361 Road Paris, KY 40361 tel: (859) 988-9377 fax: (859) 988-9339 www.hiddenbrookfarmky.com (859) 988-9377 www.hiddenbrookfarmky.com15-0061.HBK.Serv&Grad.PR.half.Jan12.indd 1 1/9/15 3:28 PM www.PaulickReport.com Page 6

Five to Watch A look at some of the sale’s top hips By Frank Mitchell

Hip 471 Shesabullwinkle (1999 dark bay mare by Hes- career starts. She is one of 25 stakes winners by leading abull x Wise Woman, by Believe the Queen): An unraced Florida sire Wildcat Heir, who died last week, and she is out mare, Shesabullwinkle proved her merit with foals like Eliz- of a talented mare who won half her 10 starts. Wildcat Ma- abul, a useful winner of six races who also finished third in rie is in foal to G1 winner To Honor and Serve () the Grade 3 Calder Derby. The mare’s biggest winner is on a June 4 cover. Shes All Eltish (by Eltish), winner of the G2 Bonnie Miss and twice placed at that level. Shesabullwinkle is in foal to lead- Hip 566 Afleet Deceit (2006 bay mare by Northern ing sire Congrats (A.P. Indy) on a late May cover. Afleet x Deceit, by ): Stakes winner of $314,274, this mare placed in three graded races. She is a half-sister Hip 537 Up (Ire) (2009 bay mare by Galileo x Halland to stakes-placed Bella Traviata (Indian Charlie), and her first Park Lass, by Spectrum): Classic-placed in the French foal, a 2-year-old , is by Indian Charlie’s champion son 1,000 Guineas, Up is a winner of the G2 Blandford Stakes Uncle Mo. In foal to on a March 24 cover. and had three more placings at the G3 level. She is a half- sister to multiple G1 winner Dutch Art (Medicean), winner Hip 702 Hatpin (2002 chestnut mare by Smart Strike x of the Middle Park Stakes and Prix Morny at 2, multiple G1- Lafayette’s Lady, by Young Commander): A stakes winner placed at 3, and now a promising young sire. She is in foal who placed at the graded level, Hatpin has produced stakes to leading sire War Front on a March 30 cover. winner Dannhauser (Johannesburg) and stakes-placed Shaishee (Indian Charlie). A half-sister to three stakes per- Hip 548 Wildcat Marie (2007 chestnut mare by Wild- formers and a stakes producer, Hatpin is in foal to Ken- cat Heir x Miss Rachel Marie, by Wild Rush): A winner tucky Derby second Bodemeister (Empire Maker). PRS of the G3 Stakes, Wildcat Marie won six of 13