A Publication of the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association PAThoroughbred pabred.com November 2019 pabred.com Issue 68 REPORT PA stallions Mirth earns take lead on region’s RMB her shot in the in 2019 Breeders’ Cup Northview PA’s first-year stallion Hoppertunity, and WynOak Farm’s Warrior’s Reward, new PA-bred Mirth took advantage of her to Pennsylvania in 2019, each covered chance to run in Santa Anita’s Grade 1 more than 100 mares to lead all stallions Page 3 Rodeo Drive, going straight to the lead in the Mid-Atlantic region in 2019. and running her way both into the win- ner’s circle and into the $2 million Breed- ers’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf-G1. The Charly Page 10 Brothers When Torchwood is bred to the stallion 2019 PA-Bred Uptowncharlybrown, something magical happens – from three foals to race, all have Page 5 Stakes Schedule won, and two, Midtowncharlybrown and Page 25 Midnightcharly – are stakes winners. Normandy Invasion to Pin Oak Lane A Letter from Executive Grade 1-placed track record-setting miler Normandy Invasion will stand the Secretary Brian Sanfratello Page 12 2020 season at Dr. William J. Solomon’s Page 9 Pin Oak Lane Farm in New Freedom. ENHANCING YOUR BRAND IMPROVING YOUR IMAGE GROWING YOUR BOTTOM LINE We deliver consistent, demonstrable results for the horse racing industry. Digital | Creative Development | Social Media Broadcasting | Media Strategies As story-tellers, we are UNMATCHED As story-tellers, we are UNMATCHED EMMY AWARD executive producer 5X WINNING executive producer As strategists, our versatility is UNRIVALED. What can we do for you? Keystone Films Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania [email protected] www.KeystoneFilms.tv 484-278-6564 Mirth Runs Her Way Into the Breeders’ Cup by Emily Shields When the Santa Anita racing While Koch approached the mile and a Park, prompting a sale from Karp to Little Red quarter race with good humor, going as far to Feather. office called to say the $300,000 joke that a half mile in 50 seconds would be “Billy was very easy to deal with, and is a Rodeo Drive Stakes-G1 on Sept. ideal, Smith wasn’t laughing. “He was really great guy,” Karp said. “I’m probably Mirth’s serious, and said not to worry about the frac- biggest cheerleader outside Billy and his 28 was projected to have a light tions,” Koch recalled. “He said he’d watched group. I’m delighted every time she wins or field, Little Red Feather front man her races, and just needed to get her into a hits the board, and I’ll be rooting her like crazy Billy Koch had an idea. rhythm. If he could do that, it didn’t matter how in the Breeders’ Cup.” fast or slow they went because she would be But the sale from Karp to Little Red Feather “Phil D’Amato looked at me, and I looked at comfortable.” was immediately followed by a lengthy set- him. I said, ‘What about Mirth?’” Koch recalled. Front-running Mirth, who hadn’t won in back. “She had a little issue and we had to give “He said it wasn’t a bad idea.” six starts since February, was able to do just her time,” Koch said. “I have to give credit to It ended up being a phenomenal idea, as that. Smith got her in front immediately, then our partners, who were extremely patient. It’s Pennsylvania-bred Mirth went straight to the controlled the pace through splits of :23.72, hard when you invest in a horse and then have lead and ran her way both into the winner’s :23.81, :23.52, :23.95, and a final quarter in to give three months off. People might wonder circle and into the $2 million Breeders’ Cup :23.47. “Every quarter went in sub :24, and if we made a bad deal, or bought a bad horse. Filly and Mare Turf-G1 at Santa Anita, on the the last one was the fastest,” Koch, who lost But our people never questioned the decision.” power-packed Nov. 2 card. The 4-year-old his voice for two days after screaming his filly Mirth returned in January of this year, run- daughter of Colonel John—Di’s Delight, by home, said. “That is how you steal a race.” ning sixth in an allowance at Santa Anita be- French Deputy, may have been a bit of a sur- The win was the culmination of a long fore winning one. Then she ran second or third prise, but Koch and D’Amato gave her the tool road for Mirth, who was bred under the ban- in four of six starts before the Rodeo Drive. she needed to win: jockey Mike Smith. ner of Larry Karp’s Barlar LLC. The filly took “Truthfully, we’ve always thought very highly “I asked Phil, who wins the most Grade 1 five tries to break her maiden, finally getting of her, and thought she could at least win a races for us? Money Mike,” Koch said. “We it done at Delaware Park in September 2017. stakes race,” Koch said. called his agent and the rest is history.” She then won two starter allowances at Laurel continues on page 7 PA THOROUGHBRED REPORT 3 B Diamond Farm STALLION OPEN HOUSE NOVEMBER 23, 2019 12:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M. JOIN US FOR LUNCH STALLION SHOW AND RAFFLE GLENN & BECKY BROK 610.659.2415 1671 TILDEN RD u MOHRSVILLE, PA 19541 WWW.DIAMONDBFARMPA.COM FLASHBACK EASTWOOD SOCIAL INCLUSION TALENT SEARCH UPTOWNCHARLYBROWN Stakes winning brothers by Uptowncharlybrown by Linda Dougherty As any Thoroughbred breeder will attest, it’s a very long journey from when a foal takes his first shaky steps to the time he’s load- ed into the starting gate. Many ob- stacles can appear along the way, and many foals never even get that far, much less become stakes win- ners. Yet the progeny of the Speightstown mare Torchwood have taken that long journey with much success, excelling in their racetrack careers. When Torchwood is bred to the stal- lion Uptowncharlybrown, something magical happens – from three foals to race, all have Midtowncharlybrown, however, got a bit of Midnightcharly has won six of 14 starts, and won, and two, Midtowncharlybrown and Mid- revenge on his younger sibling when he roared $311,008. nightcharly – are stakes winners. A fourth is back to win the $100,000 Chocolate Town A full sister, 3-year-old Charly’s Charm, waiting in the wings to join his siblings at the Sprint at Penn National on June 1. Over a sur- is an allowance winner this season, earning racetrack. face for which he has shown a great affinity, $80,270 from eight starts, while 2-year-old All of them are co-owned by Uptowncharly- the chestnut led all the way in the six furlong full brother Charly’s Assassin is preparing for brown Stud LLC, a partnership group headed contest for open company, setting swift splits his career at Irene’s farm in Ocala. by Bob Hutt, and Godric LLC, the stable name of :22.06, :44.41 and :56.36, then having “Torchwood has been the broodmare who of Irene Coletti. They were all bred in Pennsyl- enough left in the tank to hold back the on- lays the golden eggs, so to speak,” said Hutt, vania by Godric LLC, and have been trained rushing Killybegs Captain to prevail by a neck who raced Uptowncharlybrown and decided to by Irene Coletti’s stepson Ed Coletti Jr., who is in 1:08.83, with Midnightcharly rallying from stand him in Pennsylvania at Glenn and Becky based at Parx Racing. last to grab third-place money. Brok’s Diamond B Farm in Mohrsville, in large This year, 5-year-old Midtowncharlybrown The battle of the brothers continued on part to honor his late friend and trainer, Alan and 4-year-old Midnightcharly have given lo- Aug. 3 in the $100,000 Banjo Picker Sprint Seewald. “It’s like magic when she’s been bred cal fans a treat when they race, and especially Stakes at Parx, and the result was a razor-thin to Uptowncharlybrown.” victory by Midtowncharlybrown over Mid- so when they race against each other. In four Irene Coletti raced Torchwood, and in 2011 nightcharly. This time, Midtowncharlybrown consecutive stakes races beginning in April the filly made two starts at Monmouth Park engaged in a ding-dong duel with Cowboy the full brothers have gone toe-to-toe, with after debuting at age 4. After finishing last in Midtowncharlybrown winning twice and Mid- Mz until deep stretch, and then slowly edged both events, Irene decided to bring her back nightcharly winning once. away to a neck decision over his fast-closing to her farm, not originally intending to breed Midnightcharly kicked off the stakes brother. Finishing third was the tough-as-nails her. But when her friend Hutt offered her a free spree with an exciting, off-the-pace victory multiple stakes winner The Man. season to his newly-retired stallion Uptown- in the $100,000 Lyman Handicap for Penn- And finally, both horses competed in the charlybrown, she decided to take a chance. sylvania-breds at Parx Racing on April 27, in $100,000 Bensalem Stakes against open which he split rivals as he began his rally in company at Parx, and while neither prevailed, “Torchwood wasn’t much of a race horse,” the seven-furlong event and then kicked into both finished within two lengths of the ship- said Irene. “But she was very sound, and so high gear late under regular rider Mychel San- in winner Engage, from the Steve Asmussen sweet and beautiful… the kindest horse I’ve chez.