SPECIAL March 17, 2015 www.PaulickReport.com

Think Again: Study Bucks Perception Of Injury Rates In Sale Two-Year-Olds By Natalie Voss

Popular opinion has long held said he was not surprised by the that the 2-year-old Thorough- seemingly high injury rate–the breds turning in single-digit fur- most common injuries in the long works at the spring training study were bucked shins, fet- sales must be training harder and lock issues, or soft tissue prob- faster than their race-prepped lems, which were not usually stablemates and have the injury career-ending problems. He was rates to prove it. surprised by the similarity in in- jury rates between the sales and Turns out, popular opinion could race-trained groups. have it wrong. “This is similar to humans who According to a study presented go the gym frequently: once in at the 60th Annual Convention a while they will sustain some of the American Association of Equine Practitioners in December, horses prepared for continued on Page 5 racing did indeed less of their training time in fast work, but had no significant difference in injury rate than horses trained for 2-year-old sales. Veterinarians examined two groups of horses in the same Ocala barn over a nine-month period—one 57-horse group bound for the sales, the other BREED WITH 45-horse group training up to the races. The trainer of NO STUD FEE both groups was unidentified but said to have 30 years OWED UNTIL SALE. in the business. The researchers logged the number of miles each group galloped, the number of miles the groups breezed, and took note of any injuries along the way. FIRST MONEY GOES TO YOU. Researchers discovered that the ratio of fast work to slow was 1.26 for the racing group and 1.54 for the sales group, indicating a more intense degree of training for sales horses. However, the racing group had a 49 percent STUD FEE PAID injury rate, while the sales group had a 42 percent injury FROM PROCEEDS.

rate—a difference deemed insignificant by statistical analy- BETTER THAN A sis. FOAL SHARE. BETTER THAN PAY OUT The study’s author, Dr. Jonathan McLellan of Infield Equine, OF PROCEEDS. YOU KEEP THE REST.

It’s simple. Breed. Sell. ASK RAY If you don’t profit, you don’t pay. SHORTCOMINGS QUESTION: Do you have any extra tickets for ARE FORGIVEN. this year’s Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland?

ANSWER: Sorry, but I got completely when tickets went on sale. However, if you don’t mind watch- The Breeders’ Farm ing the races on a big screen from your car on something 859-294-0030 | 888-816-8787 www.spendthriftfarm.com called “The Hill,” I might be able to help you out. BYOB. www.PaulickReport.com Page 2 Stallion Spotlight Freshmen at OBS By Frank Mitchell

One of the engaging and exciting aspects of the 2-year- muscular youngster who stands nearly 16 hands already. old sales season is the emergence of early performers by The filly is Hip 150, and she is an altogether more refined freshmen sires. Last year, the story of the 2-year-old sea- sort who does not lack for size but is more notable for fi- son was Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver (by champion nesse and scope than sheer muscle power. juvenile colt Maria’s Mon), who had shown no unusual traits in getting nice young horses but who blew things wide open Other freshman sires who are well represented include with the early speed and promise of his young prospects at Trappe Shot (Tapit), Sidney’s Candy and Twirling Candy the 2-year-old auctions. (both by Candy Ride), Haynesfield (Speightstown), Drossel- meyer (), Gio Ponti Super Saver subsequently became a (Tale of the Cat), and Cape Blanco serious player for leading freshman (Galileo). sire in 2014 with the performances of Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes winner By volume, Trappe Shot, Sidney’s Competitive Edge and G2 Saratoga Candy, and Tizway most closely fol- Special winner I Spent It. Those and low , with nine, eight, and 14 other winners last year put Su- eight still in the sale as of Friday. per Saver in second place among Trappe Shot has been a big favor- freshmen sires last season. ite among value-minded breeders because the good-looking and typey This year’s version of Super Saver son of Tapit seemed the style of at the upcoming sales looks to be sire who could break out for Clai- champion juvenile Uncle Mo (Indian borne in the fashion of their recent Charlie), who was unbeaten as a stallion success War Front. Fur- 2-year-old and who has sired a large thermore, Trappe Shot (pictured) is number of young prospects who are being given every op- by a stallion who has gotten hotter every year that Trappe portunity to show their ability early. Shot has been at stud; that never hurts the demand for a stallion’s sons. With 23 cataloged and 17 still scheduled to go through the ring as of Friday, Uncle Mo leads his contemporaries Likewise, Sidney’s Candy could be seen as catching a ride by number of juveniles in the OBS March venue. The big, on his illustrious sire’s coattails, especially as Candy Ride’s brawny horse has reproduced many of his own traits champion son Shared Belief is leaving little doubt of his own among his offspring at the sale, with many being quite excellence on the racecourse. Tizway, by Horse of the Year large, with generous frames and considerable bone. , is more of a surprise in this context, and it is a cred- it to breeders that they appear to have provided the stallion Eddie Woods Sales has a pair by Uncle Mo that show dif- with mares that are adding speed and early maturity to the fering traits, however. The colt, Hip 164, is a big and very stallion’s soundness and robust constitution. PRS

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. www.PaulickReport.com Page 3 Honor Roll Carpe Diem Looks A Derby Force By Scott Jagow

time in Tampa Bay Derby history. “It was exactly what we were hoping for.”

Bred in Kentucky by Bob Cummings and Annette Bacola’s Coffee Pot Stable, Carpe Diem has been delivering on his promise from the beginning. The son of Giant’s Causeway by ’s Song mare Rebridled Dreams sold for more than half a million as a yearling -- then triple that price at OBS March the following year as a pinhook for Northwest Stud.

“We missed him as a yearling, but thankfully John (Moyni- han, agent for Stonestreet) and I got together on him as a 2-year-old,” said Walden. SV Photography After winning his debut at Saratoga last September, Carpe Diem showed why he was in such demand, taking the 2012 Ch Colt, Giant’s Causeway — Rebridled Dreams, by Grade 1, $500,000 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland in his Unbridled’s Song. Consigned by Beau Lane Bloodstock, next start. He beat the field by 6 1/4 lengths, following in agt., to 2013 KEE Sept., purchased by Northwest Stud the footsteps of half-brother, J.B.’s Thunder, who also won for $550,000. Consigned by Northwest Stud to 2014 the G1 Futurity by open lengths in his second race. OBS March, purchased by Stonestreet Stables for $1.6 million. “He’s got a great pedigree, and we are hoping to make a stallion. I think we did that today,” Walden said of Carpe The winter after a top juvenile season is an anxious time Diem following the victory. The colt’s breeder also hopes for the connections of Kentucky Derby hopefuls. Will the to make another one like him – Rebridled Dreams is going early promise shown as a 2-year-old blossom or fade in the back to Giant’s Causeway this year. new year? Pletcher said Carpe Diem’s final prep before Louisville The people behind Carpe Diem seemed to get an emphatic will likely be a return to Keeneland for the G1 Blue Grass answer with the colt’s five-length victory in the Grade 2 Stakes April 4. If things continue to go as they have so far, Tampa Bay Derby March 7. Carpe Diem may be the one they all have to beat come the first Saturday in May. PRS “When they leave their 2-year-old season behind, you hope they come out like he did,” said Elliott Walden, CEO of Win- Star Farm, who co-owns Carpe Diem with Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables. About

“We couldn’t be more pleased,” said trainer Todd Pletcher of the colt kicking away in the stretch to the third-fastest For advertising inquiries please call Emily at 859.913.9633

RANDOM FACTS Ray Paulick - Publisher [email protected] by Ray Paulick Emily Alberti - Director of Advertising [email protected] Scott Jagow - Editor-in-Chief [email protected] In 2014, OBS reached an all-time high in sales of 2-year-olds in training, when 1,683 Mary Schweitzer - News Editor [email protected] juveniles sold at the March, April and June sale Natalie Voss - Features Editor [email protected] for a total of $117,132,000. That’s more than double Emily White - Weekend Editor [email protected] the revenue from five years earlier ($54,519,700 in Frank Mitchell - Contributing Writer 2009) and the first time the company topped $100 COPYRIGHT © 2015, BLENHEIM PUBLISHING LLC million in receipts for 2-year-olds. Well done! www.PaulickReport.com Page 4

Back Ring Getting to know agent Jason Litt

How did you get interested in ? a year, then worked for veterinarians Mark Chaney, Fos- My Dad (Howard Litt) was a big fan. He grew up on the ter Northrop and Bo East Coast and the family ran a small grocery store. My Landry. They were Grandfather would take some money from the register and great. I did that a disappear to the racetrack. He was not a good handicap- couple years, then per but Dad was good with numbers. He started going to went to Three Chim- the track and bought into a horse with a group of guys at neys and was men- Bowie. tored by the famous John Hamilton. We moved to Northern California and Dad started getting in on yearlings with Jerry Hollendorfer. One of them was How does the team Globalize, who won the Spiral Stakes and was in the 2000 that owns Shared Kentucky Derby until he got kicked by a pony and injured a Belief (Jerry Hollen- couple days before the race. dorfer, Jim and Ja- net Rome, George When did you decide to get involved? and Jane Todaro, I went to graduate school and studied exercise physiology Kevin and Kim Nish, and cardiac rehabilitation. I wasn’t really interested in do- and Jason Litt and ing that. When Dad went to Kentucky with Globalize he told Alex Solis II, his partner in Solis/Litt Bloodstock) make me, “You’re not going to believe what exists there.” I went decisions on races? there and got a job a job at Taylor Made, worked there for Alex and I will talk with Jerry, then talk with everyone else. Ultimately it’s a group thing. Everyone is on the bus. What’s your favorite part of the game? The variety. The fact all aspects play an important role. I’m going to Florida for the 2-year-old sales. Come July we’ve got the yearling sales, then broodmares and foals later in the year. There’s never a stagnant time. Favorite racetrack? Golden Gate Fields. I’ve been to racetracks all over the world, and there is no more beautiful view than across the Bay to the Golden Gate Bridge NEW DATE OCT. 4th, 2015 Best racetrack meal? Saratoga has done a really good job with food. I saw on Twitter (@litt_jason) you’ll eat dessert before a meal. Why? I hate the idea of going to a restaurant that has all these great desserts, then eating a big meal and not having Mixed Sale – enough room for dessert. Horses of all Ages Who ‘s your favorite sports team? FEATURED San Francisco Giants. (Litt once dressed up on Halloween YEARLING as the ex-Giants’ bearded bullpen ace Brian Wilson) SESSION Who played at the last concert you attended? Don’t remember, but it was probably at Del Mar. What’s the “go to” app on your smartphone? 2829 South MacArthur Blvd., Tinder. Oklahoma City OK 73128 405.682.4551 What’s No. 1 on your bucket list? www.heritageplace.com That’s not printable. email: [email protected] PRS www.PaulickReport.com Page 5

continued from Page 1 degree of injury The Perfect Trip which requires removal * Depart USA 12th June from training, even if * Arrive in Paris-Charles de Gaulle. it is only Visit Chantilly training center. tran- siently,” Prix de Diane 14th June he said. Visit Le Havre, Siyouni, “The injury prevalence related to more serious injuries Kendargent etc. was more in the range of 10 percent in both groups. These numbers were in keeping with what has previ- ously been reported.” * Arrive in London. And indeed, the majority of horses in both groups Royal Ascot meeting made it to their first race: 86 percent in the racing 16th-20th June group and 89 percent from the sales group. Race- bound horses were older by their first start, too—2.82 Visit Frankel, Dubawi, years old versus 2.55 years old for the sale horses. Dansili, New Approach etc. That difference was determined to be statistically sig- nificant. * Arrive in Düsseldorf. “I think there is a general perception that more in- tense training is a ‘bad thing’ because trainers intui- Visit Dabirsim, Lord of England, tively think that the less miles put on a horse the less likely they are to become injured,” said McLellan. “They Maxios, Soldier Hollow etc. think that if they train less, they will get injured less. They think that sales horses must have been ‘over- trained’ to get that so fit so early in the season.” * Arrive in Dublin. Visit Galileo, Lope de Vega, Mastercraftsman, On the contrary, he said, research has shown time and again that horses’ skeletons respond to stress- Sea The Stars, Invincible Spirit etc. es by strengthening; without some intense work, the Irish Derby Festival bones won’t develop the proper strength. 26th-28th June McLellan is quick to caution that the study has its limits; although focusing on two different groups in the same environment and under the same trainer allowed the researchers to eliminate outside influ- ences like training surface, riders, etc., it is possible that the trainer’s own methods could have somehow affected the results. A broader study could help deter- mine what impact training methods might have on a horse’s injury rate, and such a study is in the works— McLellan and his colleagues are accumulating data Contact Alix Choppin with any questions and to from several years at a single training center to study organise your trip. Tel +33 624 331 189 more horses without location biasing the results. PRS [email protected] www.destinationeuroperacing.com www.PaulickReport.com Page 6

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

Hip 12 Colt by Smart Strike x Carolyn’s Cat, by Forestry: mare sires in the breed. Dance Quietly is a half-sister to This striking and ruggedly made chestnut is out of G2 Va- Horse of the Year and two other stakes winners. grancy Handicap winner Carolyn’s Cat. He is a good-sized colt by Mr. Prospector’s evergreen son Smart Strike, who Hip 139 Filly by Bellamy Road x For Royalty, by Not for gets such variety and versatility among his many quality Love: A February foal who towers over her contemporaries, performers. Carolyn’s Cat has already produced Mufajaah this filly is the color of cooked caramel, dark and well-mold- (by Tapit), who won the G3 Bayakoa at Oaklawn last month. ed. She has tremendous strength and bone, size and scope. Out of stakes winner For Royalty, this filly is a half-sister to Hip 25 Filly by Majestic Warrior x Champagne Royale, by a promising winner last season by Super Saver. The sec- French Deputy: A half-sister to not one but two G1 stakes ond dam produced three stakes winners and is a half-sister winners, this filly can claim anything she wants among to stakes winner Irish Cherry, the dam of G1 winners Spun black-type qualifications. Half-brother Danza won the Ar- Sugar and Daaher. kansas Derby last season and ran a bang-up third in the Kentucky Derby, and half-brother Majestic Harbor won the Hip 169 Colt by Tapit x Gotta Have Her, by Royal Acad- Gold Cup at Santa Anita. And sire Majestic Warrior is best emy: By leading sire and hot young sire of sires Tapit, this known for G1 winner Princess of Sylmar. colt has his sire’s color and turned some heads with his pre- sale work. He is out of one of the most accomplished dams Hip 61 Colt by Distorted Humor x Dance Quietly, by A.P. in the catalog also. Gotta Have Her won 10 races, including Indy: Elegant gray is by a leading sire out of a distinguished three at the G2 level, and she was second and third in G1 family. The dam is a stakes winner of the Busanda by Horse races. In all, the mare earned more than $1.1 million. The of the Year A.P. Indy, one of the most distinguished brood- broodmare sire won the Breeders’ Cup Mile. PRS

Over the past dozen years, FIRST no farm has had more success making Freshman Sires 2YOs AT OBS MARCH

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