Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa

Jared Shoemaker, co-managing partner of Pocket Aces Racing, grew up in Lexington and fondly remembers going to Keeneland with his extended family from the time he could walk. It was one of his favorite things to do as a child. By the time he was in high school, he admits to spending a lot of afternoons at the track while supposedly in class. Not one to miss a good day of racing--no matter the reason--he scheduled all of his lectures at the University of Kentucky to be done by noon...

Brilliant champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Gamine (Into Mischief) looks poised to top her second Fasig-Tipton Sale after sparking a furious bidding war in Newtown Paddocks just after 9:00 p.m. Sunday night. When the dust had settled, Coolmore's MV Magnier--who has been extremely active all night--was holding the $7-million ticket to take home the $1.8-million FTMMAY '19 topper and five-time Grade I winner. Gamine was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, agent as hip 289. The Michael Lund Petersen colorbearer was offered carrying her first foal by Quality Road.

Champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute--Diva Delite, by Repent), in foal to leading sire Tapit, has been supplemented to the Book 1 section of the upcoming Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. The 7-year-old will be consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. "It's impossible to describe what she's meant to me, my family and my partners," Jeff Bloom of co-owner Bloom Racing Stable said. "She took us on an incredible journey and created so many amazing experiences for us across the globe. All those memories I will treasure the rest of...

John Velazquez wouldn't give a definitive answer on where Gamine (Into Mischief - Peggy Jane, Kafwain) ranks on the list of all-stars the Hall of Fame jockey has been associated with over the years, but he came pretty close. Asked how the champion sprinter stacks up against a long line of high-class fillies he has ridden to Grade I success, he responded, "She's definitely one of the top ones. Like definitely one or two, I would say." That answer is high praise coming from the two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey, who...

What a time to be alive for John Sikura, master of Hill 'n' Dale! The farm's stallions have been putting on quite a show lately while Sikura quietly goes about the task--well, it's a labor of love, really--of restoring, modernizing, and expanding Xalapa, the historically significant Bourbon County property near Paris that he acquired a few years ago. Xalapa now houses Hill 'n' Dale's roster of 12 stallions and all of the farm's mares, yearlings, and foals on close to 1,500 acres. On Sunday at Saratoga, the farm's Ghostzapper was...

There are no bigger stages and brighter lights than Saratoga in the summer, and Blazing Sevens (Good Magic--Trophy Girl, by Warrior's Reward) showcased his razzle-dazzle with aplomb, blitzing a field of well-regarded debuters to loudly proclaim himself worthy of 'TDN Rising Star'-dom. Beating out two others in the race by his freshman sire to become a fifth winner, and the first to get the TDN's stamp of approval, for Good Magic, Blazing Sevens added another layer of sheen to breeder Tracy Farmer's banner last Sunday. In addition to being represented...

1st-SAR, $105k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 1:05p.m. ET The WinStar and Siena Farm partnership sends out FAITHFUL AND TRUE (Good Magic), a $450,000 OBSMAR grad out of a half to Champion older mare Escena (Strawberry Road {Aus}), for his unveiling from the Rodolphe Brisset barn. Along with Bat Flip (Good Magic), a $350,000 FTSAUG yearling who is out of a half to MGISP Money Multiplier (Lookin at Lucky) and the dam of MGSP Threes Over Deuces (Flat Out), they make up two parts of the triplet debuting in the race for...

This week's TDN Triple Crown feature examines the GI Belmont S. entrants listed in "likeliest winner" order. 1) Mo Donegal (c, Uncle Mo--Callingmissbrown, by Pulpit) O-Donegal Racing & Repole Stable. B-Ashview Farm & Colts Neck Stables (KY). T-Todd Pletcher. Sales History: $250,000 yrl '20 KEESEP. You could argue that Mo Donegal lost the GI Kentucky Derby at the post draw after getting stuck with the dreaded rail gate. But his fifth-place effort, beaten 5 3/4 lengths in a stretch finish that featured the 1-2-3 horses all running full-tilt to the...

Legendary Australian trainer Gai Waterhouse recently spent five days touring Kentucky's horse country. Upon returning to her headquarters at Tulloch Lodge in Sydney this week, the Hall of Fame trainer of 149 Group 1 wins, including a record seven G1 Golden Slippers, is looking forward to taking her findings and putting them to use at her own exceedingly-successful stable. "You know the old expression--you can't see the forest for the trees if you're there all day," Waterhouse explained. "You have to go away to freshen up. I felt like I...

The highly-anticipated first foal out of champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) arrived on Feb. 12 this year and is now thriving at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. Jeff Bloom stopped by the farm in the midst of Triple Crown season to visit the Curlin colt and his Eclipse Award-winning dam. "He is what you would expect to see out of a champion and by a champion," Bloom said after inspecting 'Baby Bisou' for the first time. "I think he takes after his mom quite a bit, but certainly there are...

Michael Lund Petersen's Gamine (Into Mischief) has been booked to Lane's End stallion Quality Road for 2022, bloodstock agent Donato Lanni confirmed Sunday. "We had a meeting with Michael to decided what to do and we all agreed that Quality Road was the right horse to start off her broodmare career," Lanni said. "You really can't go wrong with Quality Road--he's a very good sire." Acquired for $1.8 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, Gamine won nine of 11 starts, including the 2020 GI Breeders' Cup...

The roster and fees for Hill 'n' Dale Farm's 2022 season is led by the nation's leading sire in number of Grade I winners, dual Horse of the Year Curlin (Smart Strike--Sheriff's Deputy, by Deputy Minister). He will return in 2022 for a fee of $175,000 LFSN. Also remaining unchanged is fellow Horse of the Year Ghostzapper (Awesome Again--Baby Zip, by Relaunch). The Hall of Famer will stand for $75,000 LFSN in 2022. Included among the operation's up-and-coming sires, Good Magic (Curlin--Glinda the Good, by Hard Spun), whose fee also...