Denali Stud

The past few months have been a rollercoaster of emotions for Liliana Solari, Carlos Heller and their team at Don Alberto. In April, the farm's homebred superstar Journalism (Curlin) scored the first of three Grade I victories in the Santa Anita Derby. Three weeks later, his dam Mopotism (Uncle Mo) foaled a picture-perfect Flightline filly. Journalism finished second, first, then second again in the Triple Crown series, taking his ownership group on an unforgettable journey on racing's biggest stage. Then suddenly, the highs gave way to heartbreak when Mopotism passed...

The Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders have elected three new members to its Board of Directors. Conrad Bandoroff, vice president of Denali Stud; Rowland Hancock, a Thoroughbred owner and breeder based in Paducah, Kentucky; and Craig Brogden, co-owner of Machmer Hall, have each been elected to three-year terms by the full membership of the organization. Incumbents Ned Toffey, Michael Banahan, Price Bell, Dr. Natanya Nieman-McMahon, Dr. Stuart Brown, Fergus Galvin, Jeffrey Thornbury, Neil Pessin, Tommy Drury, and Paul McGee were re-elected. The election was facilitated by...

Ifurhappynuknowit (Bernardini--Mushka, by Empire Maker), an unraced full-sister to Godolphin's late Crowned, dam of last week's GI Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief), topped the Fasig-Tipton May Digital Sale, which closed late Tuesday afternoon. Consigned by Knowles Farm as hip 30, Ifurhappynuknowit sold for $280,000 to Denali Stud, agent. She was sold with her Feb. 18-foaled colt by Vino Rosso at her side and is back in foal to two-time champion Elite Power. "It was very exciting to offer a horse like Ifurhappynuknowit fresh off a huge update," said Fasig-Tipton...

Rigney Racing LLC homebred Buchu (Justify--Flowering Peach {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), a graded winner over the Keeneland turf course at two and three, has been retired from racing and will be bred to leading sire Not This Time in 2025, according to a post on X from Denali Stud's Conrad Bandoroff. Third in a pair of tries on the dirt to begin her career under the care of trainer Phil Bauer, Buchu--who was bought back on a bid of $275,000 at Keeneland September in 2022--was a troubled sixth in her...

She is not the oldest living Eclipse Award winner--that honor is believed to belong to 1994 Champion Turf Female Hatoof (Irish River {Fr}), who is still going strong at Darley's Gainsborough Farm at age 36--but she's close. As the hours tick down before the newest class of champions are honored Thursday evening, it's a thrill to remember 1995 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Serena's Song (Rahy--Imagining, by Northfields), who just turned 33 at the Bandoroff family's Denali Stud near Paris, Kentucky. This year the sport celebrates the 30-year anniversary of her spectacular...

Dear Santa, As the clock ticks down on another year we can hopefully all agree that we have much to be grateful for. Racing in many ways seems to have recovered its footing from our headline fatality troubles and we just learned the fatality rate at HISA tracks continues to decline. Who can argue that we are not making progress and moving in the right and needed direction in making racing safer? I do have two requests for you, Santa. First, I would love to learn from the NHBPA an...

Noted Kentucky horseman Craig Bandoroff will receive the Uphill Push Award and speak at the 10th annual fundraiser for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) to be held at Gulfstream Park Jan. 11th, according to a press release from the Jockeys and Jeans organization. Each year the award is given to the person who provides the most meaningful help to the 60 jockeys who suffered career-ending injuries. In December of 1974, Bandoroff was the leading apprentice jockey at Monmouth Park and Garden State Park. In a race his mount bolted...

Denali Stud-consigned Walkathon (Twirling Candy) sold Tuesday at the first session of the Keeneland November sale to Emmanuel de Seroux for $1.5 million. Sold as a racing or broodmare prospect, the 5-year-old bay is a multiple graded winner who is out of GSW Walkabout (Stroll), a half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Fort Larned (E Dubai). Walkathon was bred by Whitham Thoroughbreds, who campaigned her third dam, two-time champion Bayakoa (Arg). De Seroux purchased Hip 101 for Japan's Grand Stud.

Craig Bandoroff, proprietor of Denali Stud, D J Stables' Jon Green, L&N Racing racing manager and part-owner Michael Levinson and trainer Todd Pletcher have been added to the HISA Horsemen's Advisory Group, the organization said Monday. The new members replace the outgoing Mark Casse, Tom Drury, Jr., Linda Gaudet, Fred Hertrich III, David Ingordo and Tom Robbins. The Horsemen's Advisory Group is a group of racing industry participants formed in 2022 to provide formal feedback to HISA's executive team and Standing Committees. "I want to thank all of the members...

Tisbury Stud's Austin and Amanda Luttrell have purchased Springland, a 260-acre horse farm located in Bourbon County, Kentucky. Founded in 1962 by W.K. Taylor while he was the general manager at Claiborne Farm, parts of Springland's original parcel were eventually sold to Hidden Brook and Beau Lane. However, it was Taylor's grandson, Bill Nicholls, who added to the estate in the late 1990s. The Luttrells--who started Tisbury Stud two years ago by leasing 130 acres--intend to offer the ultimate in racehorse care with breeding, foaling, racetrack lay ups and sales...

The TDN's popular annual series 'Mating Plans, presented by Spendthrift,' continues today in a conversation with Denali Stud's Conrad Bandoroff. FLAG DAY (8, Giant's Causeway--Sense  to Compete, by Street Sense) to be bred to Good Magic. This mare's first foal, Hall of Fame, broke his maiden in very impressive fashion and was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' for his effort. The son of Gun Runner and Flag Day's first foal has been a special horse from the day he was born. He was just one of those foals that, when...

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance announced a new partnership with Lexington, Kentucky-based equine feed manufacturer Hallway Feeds, the organization said in a release Friday. Family-owned and operated by the Hall Family since 1964, the company is prepared to make a major financial commitment to accredited Thoroughbred aftercare through this collaboration. Select Hallway Feeds bags will proudly feature the 'Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Proud Supporter' Seal. In addition, the partnership will include race presentations and event booths. "Hallway Feeds is proud to support the efforts of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. As a company that...