TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2018 SO WHAT=S THE BIG IDEA? STEADY OPENER TO TDN Q&A With Craig Bernick FASIG-TIPTON MIDLANTIC by T.D. Thornton Two weeks ago, the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation (TIF) announced its formation with the goal of creating an open-to-all forum for the analysis and exchange of ideas to improve the racing industry (find it on Twitter here and here). Its board of directors are Craig Bernick, Lesley Howard, Corey Johnsen, Paul Matties, Justin Nicholson, Gary Stevens and Jack Wolf. The TDN spoke via phone earlier this week with Bernick, the president of Glen Hill Farm, to get a better understanding of the organization=s structure and goals. An edited transcript follows. TDN: Please give us the Aelevator pitch@ to sum up what TIF is all about. CB: I think we=re sort of a TED Talks meets FiveThirtyEight for the horse business, if you=re familiar with those websites. Cont. p9 (click here) Session-topping Hip 204 in the ring | Fasig-Tipton Photo IN TDN EUROPE TODAY THE WEEKLY WRAP by Jessica Martini If you’ve missed any of the previous week’s main talking TIMONIUM, MD - The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in points, fear not, Emma Berry has the Weekly Wrap. Click or Training Sale opened Monday in Timonium with figures largely tap here to go straight to TDN Europe. in line with last year=s opening session of a record-setting renewal of the auction. A colt by More Than Ready (hip 204) brought the day=s top price of $750,000 when selling to trainer Simon Callaghan, bidding on behalf of an undisclosed client. Overall, Fasig-Tipton sold 172 juveniles Monday for a total of $12,066,000, compared to 162 grossing $11,537,500 in 2017. The average dipped slightly to $70,151, down 1.5% from last year=s figure of $71,219. The median fell 10% to $36,000 from $40,000 at last year=s opening session. From 300 head catalogued, 223 horses were offered and 51 failed to sell for a buy-back rate of 22.9%. It was 25% a year ago. AI think we have seen a fairly similar marketplace throughout the 2-year-old sales season,@ said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. AThere is still some polarization in the market, but there was certainly more diversity and depth, as you would expect with the larger catalogue and a wide variety of horses that were on offer today. There was plenty of interest and a huge crowd here today. It was a solid, solid day and that=s what you hope for in this marketplace.@ Cont. p3 Colt o/o I Be Me, bred by Dr. George Mundy, DVM Colt o/o Ventoux, bred by Cerca Trova Filly o/o Run Rosie, bred by Mary A. Sullivan Tiznow – Unbridled Melody, by Unbridled’s Song | $12,500 S&N WinStarFarm.com | (859) 873-1717 PUBLISHER & CEO Sue Morris Finley @suefinley [email protected] V.P., INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS Gary King @garykingTDN [email protected] EDITORIAL [email protected] Editor-in-Chief Jessica Martini @JessMartiniTDN Managing Editor Alan Carasso @EquinealTDN Tuesday May 22, 2018 Senior Editor Steve Sherack @SteveSherackTDN Racing Editor Brian DiDonato @BDiDonatoTDN News and Features Editor Ben Massam @BMassamTDN Associate Editors Christie DeBernardis @CDeBernardisTDN Joe Bianca @JBiancaTDN ADVERTISING [email protected] Director of Advertising Alycia Borer Advertising Manager Lia Best Advertising Designer Amanda Crelin Advertising Assistants Alexa Reisfield Rachel McCaffrey Photo Editor/Dir. of Distribution Sarah K. Andrew @SarahKAndrew [email protected] Social Media Strategist Justina Severni Director of Customer Service No, nay, not another one! Cosmic Law (Ire) became Coolmore stallion No Nay Never Vicki Forbes (Scat Daddy)'s fifth winner when scoring by a half-length at Carlisle at second asking [email protected] on Monday (video). No Nay Never's Servalan (Ire) was his initial black-type winner the Marketing Manager day prior in the Listed Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies' Sprint S. at Naas. | Racing Post Alayna Cullen @AlaynaCullen Director of Information Technology Ray Villa ASMUSSEN TAKES MJC BONUS AGAIN 11 [email protected] Steve Asmussen took home the lion’s share of the Maryland Bookkeeper Jockey Club’s Preakness weekend bonus for the second Terry May consecutive year. [email protected] WORLDWIDE INFORMATION International Editor WILLIAMSON TO JOIN FASIG-TIPTON 12 Kelsey Riley @kelseynrileyTDN [email protected] Industry veteran Grant Williamson, currently the Director of European Editor Stallion Nominations at Three Chimneys Farm, will join Emma Berry Fasig-Tipton effective June 11. [email protected] Associate International Editor Heather Anderson @HLAndersonTDN Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing Sean Cronin & Tom Frary [email protected] 60 Broad Street, Suite 100 Red Bank, NJ 07701 732-747-8060 | 732-747-8955 (fax) www.TheTDN.com TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 3 OF 12 • THETDN.COM TUESDAY • MAY 22, 2018 Steady Opener to Fasig-Tipton Midlantic cont. Nick De Meric, whose De Meric Sales sold 13 horses Monday for an average of $87,731, was happy with the competition across the board. AI think it feels like a pretty good market,@ de Meric said. AI think there seem to be shoppers at every level. And if you appraise your horse realistically, you can get them sold here.@ The Midlantic sale concludes Tuesday with a session beginning at 2 p.m. More Than Ready Colt to Callaghan Fireworks broke out Tuesday in Timonium when bloodstock agent Ben McElroy, bidding alongside trainer Simon Callaghan, went to $750,000 to acquire a colt by More Than Ready (hip 204). The juvenile, who worked a co-fastest furlong in :10 1/5 Simon Callaghan | Benoit Photo last Wednesday, was consigned by Hartley/de Renzo Thoroughbreds, which purchased him for $500,000 at last year=s AMore Than Ready is obviously a very proven stallion,@ Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Callaghan said. AI thought this horse had a lot more substance AI thought his breeze was pretty exceptional,@ Callaghan, who than a lot of the More Than Readys. Some of them could run on purchased the colt on behalf of an undisclosed client, said. AHe=s turf, but I felt this was going to be a top-class performer on dirt.@ a really good-looking horse with a great attitude. He did Dean DeRenzo acknowledged the colt=s potential on dirt led to everything right.@ his appearance in Timonium. Hip 204 is out of Canadian champion Embur=s Song AWe feel like the Unbridled=s Song gives him a lot of dirt,@ he (Unbridled=s Song) and was purchased in utero for $900,000 by explained last Wednesday. Cont. p4 Bridlewood Farm. 2018 Leading Sires of GSW’s Rk Stallion, YOB GSWrs G1SWrs 1 SCAT DADDY, 2004 6 1 2 UNCLE MO, 2008 5 1 - Distorted Humor, 1993 5 - - Tapit, 2001 5 - - Curlin, 2004 5 - Source: bloodhorse.com, May 21 Graded Stakes double on Saturday: Miss Mo Mentum won Selene S.-Gr.3, Woodbine Ultra Brat (pictured) won Gallorette S.-Gr.3, Pimlico • ASHFORD • ASHFORD • ASHFORD • • ASHFORD • ASHFORD • ASHFORD • Aisling Duignan, Dermot Ryan, Charlie O’Connor or Adrian Wallace. Tel: 859-873-7088. Fax: 859-879 5756. TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 4 OF 12 • THETDN.COM TUESDAY • MAY 22, 2018 AAnd More Than Readys have run on dirt, like Verrazano, so mile in a bullet :21 1/5 last week in Timonium and sold Monday we brought him here with the dirt in mind.@ for $625,000 to California owner Michael Lund Petersen. Callaghan said he had seen the dark bay colt at the September The youngster was consigned by Kip Elser=s Kirkwood Stables, sale, but felt the mark-up to purchase him as a 2-year-old was which also consigned him at OBS two months ago. worth it. AHe matured a little bit,@ Elser said of the different sales AHe was obviously a very good yearling,@ the California-based results. AI thought he looked great here and other people trainer said. AI remembered him and I liked him then. So to pay a agreed.@ little bit more than that after you=ve seen him breeze so well The colt worked a furlong in :10 flat over the synthetic and vet and jump through all the hoops, I thought it made Safetrack at OBS before moving to the dirt for his Timonium sense.@ breeze. De Renzo was also satisfied with Monday=s result. AI don=t think the surface makes a difference to him,@ Elser AWe are happy with that for a couple of reasons,@ De Renzo said. AThat=s the key. He was good on the Poly and he was said after watching the colt sell. AOne is that now we get to spectacular on the dirt.@ watch him run right here in the United States. And that=s really The colt, bred by Teneri Farm and Bernardo Alvarez Calderon, important for us to build our client base--which happens when originally sold for $14,000 at the 2017 Keeneland January sale. you sell good horses and they go to good trainers, like Simon He was purchased by S.R. Schwartz for $95,000 at the Callaghan in California. Of course you always want more money Keeneland September sale. Out of Itsagiantcauseway (Giant=s for a More Than Ready, but [the $250,000 profit] works. You Causeway), the juvenile is from the family of Canadian can=t do that in too many places. So, it works for us.@ champion Peaks and Valleys. De Renzo paused before adding with a chuckle, ABut I think Petersen, a founding shareholder in Pandora Jewelry, they got a bargain, to be honest.@ campaigned Grade I winner Mor Spirit (Eskendereya).