Thoroughbred Management Program Breeding and Racing News 2008 Ray Whelihan
Recap of 2007 Racing Year
We had another interesting and profitable year racing the Cobleskill College Foundation orange and black tiger paw silks at Finger Lakes Race Track in Farmington, NY. Trainer Jon Buckley did a great job of preparing our horses and presenting them in competition where they belonged.
We have been so fortunate to be the beneficiary of Mr. Fried’s (Buttonwood Farm in Rhinebeck, NY) generosity and support. Mr. Fried donated each of our race horses for 2007. Each horse was bred and raised at Buttonwood, then began their careers at Belmont Park and eventually found their way to Finger Lakes. These horses have been in the very best of care literally from conception, and will continue their careers at SUNY Cobleskill.
Stolen Thunder, a 2003 Thunder Gulch gelding out of Stolen Beauty, began racing for us in July. Honor Mountain, a 2002 gelding by Honour and Glory out of Point of Honor, began racing for us in August. Final Valentine, a 2002 gelding by Mt. Livermore out of Missy Valentine, began racing for us in October.
Stolen Thunder won at first asking for us on July 29th. He then ran fourth twice, with Honor Mountain joining us on August 24th and running second a few lengths ahead of Stolen Thunder, then winning on September 8th, with Stolen Thunder again just a few lengths back.
Stolen Thunder proved his mettle running second on September 21st and again on October 6th, with a win arriving on November 2nd. He finished the year with a third on November 26th. No worse than 4th and two wins and two seconds, Stolen Thunder’s grit and determination made the season a fun venture
Honor Mountain ran a few lengths back of the win by Case Notes on September 22nd. Case Notes is owned by alumnus Tom Citera and we were glad and exited for him for the win. Honor Mountain came back on October 8th for a win, followed by two off the board finishes in November. Two wins and a place in six starts for Honor Mountain cemented a good season for us.
Final Valentine had seemed to lose his interest in racing and we chose to bring him home for two months once he was donated. Cobleskill students galloped him daily, and we brought him to Saratoga on four occasions to breeze. He ran his best race of the season on October 22nd finishing 4th, then ran off the board twice in November. Final Valentine will begin a new career.
All three horses have now joined the training class and are being readied for new careers. Our students are lungeing, long lining, and beginning elementary dressage work with each horse and they are coming along very well. They have been joined by Marc of Approval and Light The King, both additional donations by Mr. Fried, who came directly to the re-training program. Each horse is sound, fresh and living life, with a solid future transitioning into the college riding program.
With the 2008 racing season upon us, our silks will be carried by two new horses. Call The Lark, a 2001 gelding by Phone Trick out of Marc’s Lark, has been donated by Mr. Fried, and will be sent to Jon Buckley in the middle of April. Call the Lark is training well at the college and I’m confident he will also make a smooth transition into the riding program after a competitive racing season.
Coby Cat Tale, a three year old gelding by Tale of the Cat, has been readied at the college and is receiving his finishing touches by Alumnus Mike Schrader at his In Front Training Center in Ghent, NY. Coby Cat Tale was donated to us as a two year old and will begin his racing career with Jon in the early summer.
Please watch for updates as the 2008 racing season progresses!
Thoroughbred Breeding Activities 2008
Cobleskill College 2008 Broodmare Roster:
Thunderousechange, a 2003 un-raced mare by Thunder Gulch out of Exchange Place, was given to the college by Mr. Fried. Thunderousechange is out of a ½ sister to Mr. Fried’s multi-millionaire and grade 1 winner Affirmed Success. Thunderousechange is in foal to Freud with a due date of ¾. She is booked for 2008 to Patriot Act.
Nobody’s Angel is a 1998 un-raced Miswaki mare out of Stolen Beauty (yes, a ½ sister to Stolen Thunder), given to the college by Mr. Fried, and has produced three foals for us. Her first two foals, Lion at the Gate and He’s A Ray have been winners at Belmont. Her third foal Mightybobbymagee, is owned by alumnus Tom Citera, and is in training at Belmont Park. Nobody’s Angel is in foal to Traver’s winner Ten Most Wanted with a due date of 3/21. She is booked for 2008 to Sky Classic, at Pin Oak Farm in Ky.
S S Capote is a 1996 mare by Capote out of Miss Show Boat. She was given to the college by Mr. Fried and has produced three winners from three starters thus far. SS Capote is currently barren and is booked to Hook and Ladder for this season.
River Tower is a 1996 Riverman mare out of Big City Miss. River Tower will foal a Powerscourt foal for Mr. Fried, then be bred this season for us to Andomeda’s Hero.
Becky Thomas-Ray of Sequel stallions has continued and enhanced her support of Cobleskill College. Becky is a prominent leader in the thoroughbred world and we are honored to establish a close working relationship. Becky has provided six mares for the program. All the mares are either stakes horses themselves or stakes producers.
Banissa is a 1989 Lear Fan mare who has produced two graded stakes horses. Banissa will be bred to Hook and Ladder.
Delta Daylight is a stakes producing 1994 Sovereign Dancer mare. Delta Daylight will foal a Ten Most Wanted foal for Sequel, then be bred for us to Read The Footnotes.
Imprudent is a 2000 St. Jovite mare and a ½ sibling to G1 winner Momentum, from the immediate family of Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand. Imprudent will be bred to Ten Most Wanted.
Saralil is a 1993 stakes placed Saratoga Six mare and a stakes producer. Saralil will be bred to Stonesider.
She’s A Shoe In is a 1995 Ogygian mare and a solid producer. She’a A Shoe In will be bred to Ten Most Wanted.
Truth and Beauty is a 1991 Private Terms mare and a stakes producer. Truth and Beauty will foal a Read The Footnotes foal for Sequel, then be bred back for us to Freud.
In addition to these college mares, Mr. Peter Winston of Star Track Farm continues to board his mares at SUNY Cobleskill in support of the program. This year Peter is expecting foals out of Zenna The Ruler (Jade Hunter), Wicked Angel (Fast Play), Five Buck Marshall (Fast Play), and Chickadee (Anasheed).
Youngstock
Current yearlings on campus include a college owned Oratory colt out of Nobody’s Angel, college owned Strategic Mission filly out of Untilthemusicstops, and a Fast Play colt out of Five Buck Marshall owned by Mr. Winston. Mr. Winston breeds to race with great success. The Oratory colt is targeted for the NY Bred Preferred Sale at Saratoga in August, with the Strategic Mission filly pointed to the Fasig-Tipton Maryland sale in October.
Foals…Foals…Foals!
Mr. Winston’s Zenna The Ruler was the first to go, foaling a beautiful and lively chestnut Jade Hunter filly on February 17th.
Mr. Winston’s Wicked Angel foaled her first foal on February 25th, a bay Fast Play colt. Wicked Angel is the last filly out of the great Jackbettaberite and is making a wonderful mother. Congratulations Peter!
Thunderousexchange foaled her first foal on March 7th at 10:45 in the morning, with little to no notice. Maiden mares seem to never read the text books! He’s a big and boisterous Freud colt and Mom’s doing very well.
Nobody’s Angel Filly
Nobody’s Angel foaled a beautiful and leggy chestnut filly on Tuesday March 18th at 7:30 in the morning. Angel has a penchant for foaling during the day. The filly is by Travers winner Ten Most Wanted. Nobody’s Angel’s half sister, Moonlightandbeauty, has produced Kentucky Derby contender Giant Moon, by Giant’s Causeway. Wishing the folks at Buttonwood Farm the best of luck with Giant Moon with the knowledge that success there would move Angel’s already strong pedigree that much more forward. Nobody’s Angel and filly will ship to Kentucky the first or second week of April.
Not Quite April Fools Day
Five Buck Marshall foaled a Fast Play colt on April 2nd. Robust, healthy and typically Five Buck Marshall… rugged, plain and strong. Five Buck really stamps her foals and what comes through is actually her broodmare sire Flip Sal. Five Buck is by Spectacular Bid, but looks nothing like him. She resembles Flip Sal herself and that continues through her foals. I looked after Flip Sal years ago when I was a stallion manager. Flip Sal was the strong favorite for the Kentucky Derby, but fractured his fetlock in the attempt. He was a wonderful horse to work around and became a good sire.
Nobody’s Angel’s Yearling Colt by Oratory Makes The Grade!
The selectors for Fasig Tipton were on campus Tuesday April 22nd to inspect yearlings for the Fasig Tipton Preferred Sale held at Saratoga in Mid August. They accepted the Oratory/Nobody’s Angel colt for inclusion in the sale. This sale provides a tightly focused market for New York Breds, with a sale average of $50,000.00. The Preferred Sale is a great place to sell yearlings for $30,000.00 to $150,000.00, if your horse belongs there. Nobody’s Angel colt belongs there and we’re hoping for great things.
It’s satisfying when student efforts are realized. Buttonwood Farm began providing mares to the college many years ago due to successful student intern experiences. Alumnus and thoroughbred trainer Chad Brown provided insight on the selection of this sire. Of course, current student effort resulted in the foaling and raising of a nice horse. There isn’t another college in the country that sells yearlings at this level. Students and alumni should be proud.
Two Fillies in One Night
Truth and Beauty and Delta Daylight both foaled fillies on May 15th. Truth and Beauty went first at 9:00 PM and produced an exceptional filly by Read The Footnotes. Delta Daylight waited until 5:00 AM to foal a Ten Most Wanted filly. Student Heather Gregorek gave able assistance to Delta Daylight, just deserves for completing her 11th foal watch duty. Truth and Beauty will go back to Freud, and Delta Daylight to Read The Footnotes.
A Giant Congratulations to Everyone at Buttonwood Farm
Giant Moon was named the Champion New York Bred Two Year Old Colt at the award ceremony held on May 12th. Well deserved and best of luck in the Preakness Stakes.
Last foal of the season and Call The Lark Nearing Debut
Sweep Dreams foaled an Ecton Park colt on May 19th to complete our foaling for the year. Sweep Dreams is a graded stakes mare by Mt. Livermore who has recently been donated in foal by Chris Dragone. Sweep Dreams is a great addition to the program and her colt is quite nice.
Call The Lark is scheduled to breeze on May 22nd and then Jon will look for a race for him. Coby Cat Tale is training forwardly with Michael Schrader and will be sent to Jon once Call The Lark starts sending money home.
