Darley

Even if most racing is delayed, we're all hoping it will get underway sometime this spring or early summer, if for no other reason than so we can all find out the answer to our annual favorite question. We surveyed some top judges on who their leading first-crop sire is, and to give us some under-the-radar picks as well. I want to disclose my opinion by saying that most of it is based on the two-year-olds I have seen this past week at the OBS sale. Most of my clients...

Even if most racing is delayed, we're all hoping it will get underway sometime this spring or early summer, if for no other reason than so we can all find out the answer to our annual favorite question. We surveyed some top judges on who their leading first-crop sire is, and to give us some under-the-radar picks as well. Frosted would be my top pick for freshman sire, but I would also have Exaggerator and Not This Time close behind. We have two Frosteds on the farm right now, both...

As the start of the flat season dawns, all eyes will be on Night Of Thunder (Ire). Can the champion first season sire maintain the dizzying momentum with which he rolled through 2019? Will the Guineas winner's first-crop train on as 3-year-olds, and will his second crop pick up the baton? Reflecting back on Night Of Thunder's performance last year-which placed him among the best first-season sires in recent memory-a glaring trend is apparent among his progeny: all four of his pattern-race winners, and six of his nine stakes winners,...

Fast Company (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}-Sheezalady {GB}, by Zafonic), whose first 2-year-olds conceived at Kildangan Stud hit racetracks this year, has died aged 15 at the Darley stud. The G3 Acomb S. winner and G1 Dewhurst S. runner-up had an existing medical condition that had caused his health to deteriorate. Bred by Limetree Stud and Aerial Bloodstock, Fast Company was a smart pinhook for Glenvale Stud, which purchased him for 54,000gns as a foal and resold him the following year for 140,000gns. Fast Company broke his maiden by three lengths...

Champion Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), G1 Investec Derby hero Masar (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and MG1SW Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) have all had their first mares scanned in foal, Darley announced on Wednesday. A winner of the G1 Dewhurst S., Too Darn Hot stands alongside French G1SP Masar at Darley's Dalham Hall Stud near Newmarket, while 2019 Cartier Champion Sprinter Blue Point, who won four Group 1 races and two at Royal Ascot last term, is at Darley's Irish base, Kildangan Stud. They command fees of £50,000, £15,000...

Casamento (Ire) (Shamardal-Wedding Gift {Fr}, by Always Fair), winner of the G1 Racing Post Trophy and G2 Beresford S. in 2010 and a useful dual purpose sire, has died aged 12 at Sunnyhill Stud as a result of a hoof condition, Racing Post reports. Casamento was campaigned by Sheikh Mohammed with trainer Mick Halford at two, and stood five seasons between Kildangan and Dalham Hall Studs before a brief stint in Sweden and two years at Sunnyhill. He leaves behind 10 stakes winners, headed by the Australian Group 1 winner...

Preparing elite stallions for a strenuous breeding season can be a challenge when also dealing with freezing temperatures in Central Kentucky. Darley has found a program that circumvents the unpredictable climate and also tailors exercise to each individual stallion with the addition of an aqua treadmill at Jonabell Farm. Darley stallion manager Graham Lovatt spoke of his idea for the new fitness plan. "I've always wanted to have an exercise program. Many farms will ride their stallions or use a roller and side reins and go for a hand walk...

Godolphin's MG1SW Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), trying dirt for the first time in the 1900-metre G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R2, answered that surface question emphatically, drawing off to win by two lengths over Military Law (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) at Meydan on Thursday. 2018 GI Belmont S. runner-up Gronkowski (Lonhro {Aus}) ran third, 6 3/4 lengths behind after a wide trip. Part of the early pace discussion from the bell, Christophe Soumillon settled his mount in a perfect position in third just off the tempo set by dueling leaders Chiefdom (The...

When all was said and done in the first-season sires' race in Europe in 2019, it was undoubtedly the year of Night of Thunder (Ire). Darley's G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Lockinge S. winner was out in front on his own not only in terms of quantity-he sired the winners of the most races (44), stakes winners (seven), stakes horses (11) and group winners (three) and had the highest earnings (£879,457/€1,034,567) of any sire in his intake-but also quality. As detailed by John Boyce at the tail-end of the season,...

English/French highweight and two-time G1 Champion S. hero Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) sired his first reported foal at Newsells Park Stud on Jan. 22, Darley announced on Thursday. Bred by W & R Barnett Ltd., the filly is out of Amber Silk (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), a winning full-sister to G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine and GI E.P. Taylor S. victress Just The Judge (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) from the family of MGSW and G1 Epsom Oaks/G1 Coronation Cup third High Heeled (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}). Julian Dollar, General Manager of Newsells...

Undefeated Cartier Horse of the Year and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) will visit Darley stallion Shamardal (Giant's Causeway) in 2020, Jour de Galop reported on Monday. A winner of five Group 1 races and currently carrying to Frankel (GB), she will produce a full-brother or full-sister to listed winner and G1 Prix Vermeille third Zarkamiya (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) this spring. Her best offspring to date has been G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud victor Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), who currently stands under The Aga Khan...

Champion and G1 Prix Ganay hero Cloth of Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) sired his first reported foal at Logis St Germain on Jan. 17, Darley announced. The filly is a daughter of the winning Zallaja (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}), herself out of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Zalaiyka (Fr) (Royal Academy), and was bred by Jack de Jong. Cloth of Stars stands at Haras du Logis and commands a fee of €7,500 this term.