Adam Coglianese

Getting up in the final strides to take a maiden race at Aqueduct on Saturday, Quiet Miracle gave New York sire Miracle Man his first progeny winner. Bred by Lois Engel, owner of Pucker Ridge Farm in Warrensburg where Miracle Man stands for a partnership, Quiet Miracle’s 12-1 victory also provided another first – the first trip to the winner’s circle as a trainer for Pedro Granville, who also owns the colt.

Settling in under jockey Julissa Laredo behind a sharp speed duel between Broadway Hat and King Keene in the early stages of the six-furlong dash, Quiet Miracle began his bid in earnest four-wide at the quarter pole, with five lengths to make up. Advancing into third, in the final sixteenth the bay overhauled King Keene and out-finished fellow closer Sunrise Lover to take the race by a length in 1:12.61.

Breeder Lois Engel said, “I had a feeling from early on that Quiet Miracle would run.  He just had the attitude and presence to him.”  Engel added, “I am thrilled that he provided his trainer, Pedro Granville his first win as a trainer. This win made quite a few people’s day!”

Granville, whose six starters yielded only one on-the-board finisher from 34 starts in 2012, has been knocking at the door in 2013. Before Saturday’s breakthrough win, four starters had given him nine in-the-money placings in 25 starts. Quiet Miracle (6-1-0-1, $17,492) was purchased privately by Granville last summer.

Quiet Miracle’s dam Quiet Enough (Quiet American), who was a private purchase for Engel, has produced another winner from her only other foal to start, Ready Enough (More than Ready), a multiple winner of $143,902.

Quiet Miracle is one of only three starters to date for Miracle Man (Yankee Victor/Broadway Boogie). Bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones, he is a half-brother to multiple juvenile black type winner Princess Willow (Silver Deputy) and outcross through five generations. Winner of his first three career starts by open lengths, Miracle Man is multiple stakes-placed on turf and dirt and set a turf course at Monmouth Park for 1 1/16 miles in 2006 (1:41.03). He stands at Pucker Ridge for a 2013 stud fee of $2000.

Agave Kiss wins the G3 Cicada under Ryan Curatolo 3/10/12 (Adam Coglianese)

Flying Zee Racing Stables’ multiple stakes-winning sprinter Agave Kiss (Lion Heart) – never headed in her first six career starts – has been retired from racing due to ankle problems and is booked to Tapit, according to a report in the Daily Racing Form.

Trained by Rudy Rodriguez, Agave Kiss began her career in late 2011 with a pair of victories against state-breds by a combined 16 3/4 lengths. Moving straight into open stakes company as a sophomore, she went on to win four straight, taking the Ruthless Stakes in January and the Grade 3 Cicada in March at Aqueduct, the Trevose Stakes at Parx as the 124-pound highweight, and capping the series by wiring the Miss Preakness Stakes on the Black-Eyed Susan undercard. Later in the year, Agave Kiss secured a placing in the Grade 1 Prioress at Saratoga and finished second, beaten only a neck, in the Valor Lady at Belmont.

Ramon Dominguez pilots Agave Kiss to a 5-length victory in the Miss Preakness Stakes 5/18/12 (Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club)

Bred by Nustar Breeding LLC, a partnership headed by the late Carl Lizza and his wife Viane, and foaled at Highcliff Farm in Delanson (now Highcliff Stallions), Agave Kiss is a daughter of Lion Heart out of 2011 New York Broodmare of the year Salty Romance (Salt Lake).

Viane Lizza, who took over Flying Zee Racing Stable after her husband’s death in 2011 said, “It was a complete joy to watch her run. She came around at a good time. We had a ball with her. She doesn’t owe us a thing. Hopefully, she’ll make a good mother.”

Agave Kiss retires with a record of 6-1-1 from 10 starts and $339,400 in earnings.

Simmard, a Grade 2 winner by Dixieland Band, will stand the 2013 season at Anne Morgan and Tim Little’s Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater.

Out of the stakes-winning Spectacular Bid mare, Dibs ($165,643) – a producer of six winners, including two stakes winners and two stakes performers from six foals to start – Simmard is from the same female line as top sires Pulpit, Johannesburg and Tale of the Cat.

Trained by Roger Attfield, Simmard won the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida Stakes at Gulfstream (1 3/8 miles), Grade 3 Louisville Handicap (1 1/2 miles) and Chief Bearhart Stakes (1 1/4 miles). His stakes placings include runner-up finishes in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes, Grade 2 W. L. McKnight Handicap, and Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes. He finished third in the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes, Grade 2 Pan American and Grade 2 Bowling Green Handicap. Injured while preparing for last year’s Grade 1 Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap, Simmard retired after six campaigns with a career record of 7-5-4 from 32 starts and earnings of $635,953.

Simmard’s owner, Antonio Francesco, is offering several incentives to breeders, including The Stallion Club, which earns a lifetime breeding right, a Blacktype Bonus program, and a Local Breeders Program specifically for New York breeders that includes bonus seasons for meeting certain criteria. Mr. Francesco also is offering transportation incentives for approved mares.

For complete details of the programs breeders can contact Mr. Francesco at (917) 684-9799 or antoniofrancesco@hotmail.com. Inquiries can also be directed to Anne Morgan at Mill Creek Farm at (518) 584-9457.

Simmard’s 2013 stud fee is $2,800, live foal stands and nurses.

Millionaire Pollard’s Vision, sire of champion 3-year-old filly Blind Luck, is being relocated to Dr. Jerry Bilinski’s Waldorf Farm in North Chatham for 2013.

A 12-year-old son of Carson City out of Etats Unis (Dixieland Band), Pollard’s Vision will remain the property of a syndicate and stand for $5,000. He will continue to shuttle to La Mission in Argentina where he has averaged 130 mares a year for the past three years.

A winner of four graded stakes and earner of $1,430,311, Pollard’s Vision was bred in Kentucky by Charles A. Smith and foaled at Wintergreen Stallion Station, where he retired to stud in 2006. The stallion, who is blind in his right eye, was named for Red Pollard, Seabiscuit’s jockey, also blind in one eye.

Pollard’s Vision was the number three first crop sire in 2009 with 20 winners, four stakes winners and one Grade 1 winner – namely Blind Luck who would go on to earn $3.2 million and be named champion three-year-old filly in 2010. He has sired 12 other stakes winners.

Dr. Jerry Bilinski said, “We are very excited to bring Pollard’s Vision to New York breeders.  He relocates as a successful stallion that has the proven ability to throw a champion. He is by Carson City, just like the hugely successful, formerly New York based sire, City Zip. It is a line that really works well here.”

Bilinski added, “Having bred 165 mares in 2010, foals from his biggest and best book of mares are on their way to the starting gate this year. This gives breeders a lot of upside potential.  His ability to get a sound, fast, versatile runner with a high AEI makes him a perfect fit for New York.”

John J. Greely IV, who owns Wintergreen Stallion Station with his brother Beau, said, “I have been involved with Pollard since he was foaled right here at Wintergreen and then returned to stand here at stud.  He is a great looking, smart horse who has been incredible to be around. I am certain that there are great things still to come and I will continue to follow his stallion career very closely.”

Inquiries may be made to Dr. Jerry Bilinski at (518) 766-4600.

Alex’s Pal, sire of multiple Grade 2 winner C C’s Pal, will stand the 2013 breeding season at Albert Geldmacher’s Centennial Farm near Gilbertsville. His fee is $3,500 live foal or complimentary to the first 10 mares with an A nick or better.

A half brother to Grade 2 winner and sire Successful Appeal, 14-year-old Alex’s Pal (Valid Expectations/Successful Dancer, by Fortunate Prospect) formerly stood at Birch Creek Farm in New Jersey.

Last year C C’s Pal won the Grade 2 Honorable Miss Handicap at Saratoga, Grade 2 Vagrancy Handicap at Belmont Park, and the Ladies Handicap at Aqueduct. Having won or placed in 19 stakes, 6-year-old C C’s Pal has earned $799,420.

Alex’s Pal also is also the sire of My Pal Chrisy, winner of the Elmer Heubeck Distaff Handicap at Calder Race Course in 2012 for the second consecutive year. A three-time stakes winner, My Pal Chrisy has earned $418,068.

From his first five crops of racing age, Alex’s Pal has 45 winners from 57 starters with earnings of $3,025,513. His runners average $53,079 per starter.

New York’s 2012 leading freshman sire Frost Giant will be headed from his base at Keane Stud in Amenia to stand at Yarradale Stud in Western Australia for the Southern Hemisphere season that begins in August.

Sunset Stables, which owns Frost Giant and is managed by Andrew Cohen, announced the shuttle plans in conjunction with Yarradale owner Ron Sayers. Yarradale will stand Frost Giant for a minimum of three years in an arrangement with Sayers and his partner, Eddie Rigg of Geisel Park Stud.

“After talking with Yarradale and learning about the high-quality mares they will breed to Frost Giant, we are really looking forward to seeing how he will do in Australia,” Cohen said. “We expect that this shuttle agreement will solidify Frost Giant as the ‘real deal’ on an international stage.”

“What Frost Giant has done in America is highly exciting, and we’re hoping he can do that down here,” Sayers said. “We have a huge emphasis on two-year-old racing in Australia, and the performance of his two-year-olds last year was impressive. We also believe the Storm Cat sire line works well in Western Australia.”

By Storm Cat’s son Giant’s Causeway, North America’s leading sire in 2009, 2010 and 2012, 10-year-old Frost Giant is out of the Gone West mare Takesmybreathaway, a half sister to Mutakddim, sire of 100 stakes winners. This also is the prolific female family of Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, champion juvenile and international sire Rhythm, Grade 1 winner and sire Bluegrass Cat, Grade 1 winner Girolamo and many others.

Sayers said he will commit approximately 50 mares from his own band of 150 to Frost Giant during his initial Australian season, as well as make the stallion available to outside breeders.

Some of Sayers’ mares intended for Frost Giant are Adalia, a half sister by Silver Charm to Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap winner Seek Gold; South African champion Arabian Lass, by Al Mufti; the Elusive Quality mare Colleges, whose second dam is a sister to Breeders’ Cup Turf winner and sire In the Wings; Forest Flight, a Forestry half sister to Horse of the Year Skip Away; Let’s Get Even, a half sister to Grade 1 winner and sire Stephen Got Even, and Group 2 winners Born Priceless, Brava Fortune and Clueless Angel.

Frost Giant set a new record for first-crop earnings by a New York-based freshman sire when his progeny amassed $840,633 in 2012. Even with fewer foals in his debut crop than any other sire in the top 30, he led all North American freshmen with 80% winners from runners (12 of 15, with champion Big Brown next at 48.5%, 16 of 33) and by percentage of stakes horses from runners (26.6%, with Spring At Last next at 18.8%).

Two of Frost Giant’s offspring, stakes winners Kelli Got Frosty and West Hills Giant, are finalists for New York-bred juvenile champions in the respective categories for fillies and for males.

Frost Giant, who previously shuttled to Chile for the 2009 and 2010 seasons, currently stands for $7,500. His Australian fee will be announced at a later date. Yarradale also stands shuttler War Chant under an agreement with Three Chimneys Farm of Kentucky.

(Edited press release)

Joe and Anne McMahon, owners of McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, announced yesterday the addition of the Highcliff Stallions to the farm for 2013.

On the Highcliff side, C. Lynwood O’Cain, DVM and Suzie O’Cain, Stallion Development, commented, “We could not be more thrilled. We have always dreamed of bringing Saratoga Thoroughbred breeders to the forefront in the state, and with 14 stallions, including the sire of a 2012 Eclipse winner and the sire of a 2012 Grade I stakes winner, we felt now was the time to make the dreams of both families a reality.”

Joe McMahon and Suzie O’Cain have spent many years working together on the boards of several organizations, including the New York Thoroughbred Breeders. Dr. O’Cain adds his vast knowledge of reproductive therapy, while Anne McMahon continues her role in hands on horsemanship and farm management.

Suzie O’Cain added, “Doc and I spent 26 years 45 minutes away from Saratoga, and with the closing of Highcliff Farm after Carl Lizza’s passing, we wanted our friends and clients to know we would always be close and involved with their bloodstock investments. Anne and Joe are not only two of our good friends, their farm is just five minutes down the road, and Doc and I will be there on a regular basis. We all feel this will be the best Thoroughbred stallion station in the Northeast.”

Highcliff stallions Bob and John (Seeking the Gold), Congaree (Arazi), Cosmonaut (Lemon Drop Kid), Maybry’s Boy (Broad Brush), Smart Bid (Smart Strike), and Stonesider (Giant’s Causeway) join McMahon stallions Alphabet Soup (Cozzene), Catienus (Storm Cat), Here Comes Ben (Street Cry {Ire}), Justenuffhumor (Distorted Humor), Mr. Sekiguchi (Storm Cat), Teuflesberg (Johannesburg), Touch Gold (Deputy Minister), and Utopia (Jpn) (Forty Niner) for the 2013 breeding season.

Multiple graded stakes winner D’ Funnybone’s first foal arrived on February 5 at Dr. Bernardo Mongil’s Monhill Farm in Pine Plains. The foal, a filly bred by Mike Schrader, is out of Ballado Hill a winning daughter of Saint Ballado and producer of two multiple winners.

A 6-year-old chestnut son of D’wildcat, D’ Funnybone won a pair of Grade 2 sprints at two, taking the Saratoga Special by more than ten lengths and Belmont’s Futurity by nearly five lengths. He followed up at three with victories in the Grade 2 Hutcheson and Grade 2 Swale, both at Gulfstream Park, and, later in the year, posted a three-length win in Belmont’s Grade 2 Woody Stephens, defeating Grade 1-winner Discreetly Mine and others and earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 100. He retired with a record of 6-3-0 from 15 starts and $686,700 in earnings.

Bred in Florida by Harold J. Plumley, D’ Funnybone is out of the Woodman mare Elbow, also the dam of stakes winner and graded stakes-placed Dr. Kathy. He hails from the female family of Grade 1 Top Flight Handicap-winner Chain Bracelet.

D’ Funnybone stands at Vinery New York at Sugar Maple Farm for a 2013 fee of $3,500, LF stands and nurses.

Twin Creeks Farm has announced that 21 of its Kentucky-based mares have been officially booked to multiple Grade 2-winning millionaire Mission Impazible for the 2013 breeding season. The first-year stallion by Unbridled’s Song stands at Becky Thomas’s and Dennis Narlinger’s Sequel Stallions in New York, which will also serve as the new home for the 21 mares, all of which will now be eligible for New York’s lucrative breeding program.

“We have hand selected an outstanding group of mares at Twin Creeks Farm to breed to Mission Impazible in hopes of giving him the best opportunity to become New York’s leading sire,” said Randy Gullatt of Twin Creeks. “New York has the best state-bred program in North America for both breeders and racehorse owners, and we’re excited about the future and being involved in New York.”

Of the 21 mares chosen, 17 have earned black type in their careers, including 13 stakes winners. Notables include Grade 1 performers Queen of Hearts and Unspoken Word, and Graded stakes winners Little Miss Holly and Nashinda. Notable among the top producers is Deputy Reality, the dam of Grade 2 stakes winner Teeth of the Dog who was a leading 3-year-old in 2012 in New York.

Mission Impazible scored his biggest wins on the track in the 2010 Louisiana Derby (G2) and 2011 New Orleans H. (G2), and was runner-up in three Grade 1 races, including the 2012 Donn H. (G1), 2011 Clark H. (G1) and 2011 Stephen Foster H (G1). He was also a TDN Rising Star after breaking his maiden first-time out as a 2-year-old during the 2009 Keeneland Spring Meet. Mission Impazible finished in the money in 13 of 21 starts, which included 17 Graded stakes races – 8 of which were Grade 1s. After accumulating $1,284,949 in earnings over a four-year career, Mission Impazible retired at the end of the 2012 season.

Out of the multiple Graded stakes-producing mare La Paz, Mission Impazible is set to stand his first season in 2013 at Sequel Stallions in Hudson, NY for a fee of $7,500 stands and nurses.

Joe and Anne McMahon announced on Friday that Double Dinghy Day (Forestry) has produced the first foal by Grade 1 winner Here Comes Ben. The filly arrived at 9:20 PM on January 31, 2013 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds.

Here Comes Ben is one of 13 Grade 1 winners by champion Street Cry, including horse of the year Zenyatta. Winner of Saratoga’s Grade 1 Forego Stakes in his graded stakes debut, Here Comes Ben defeated champion Big Drama, and Grade 1 winners Girolamo, Vineyard Haven, Warrior’s Reward and Bribon.

Bred by McMahon Thoroughbreds, the new filly is the second foal for Double Dinghy Day, a multiple winner and earner of over $180,000 out of the multiple graded stakes-placed Windsong by Unbridled. Double Dinghy Day’s second dam is the multiple stakes winner Falconese, dam of Fleet Streak. 

Here Comes Ben retired to stud in late 2011 for the 2012 breeding season. He stands for $7,500 live foal at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds and is the property of his breeders Brandon and Marianne Chase in partnership with McMahon Thoroughbreds.