John Sikura

by Jill Williams & J.N. Campbell A spectacular Fall Stars Weekend both continues and concludes Sunday at Keeneland, highlighted by the GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes, a 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 1. While entries may seem sparse for such an historic race with a $650,000 purse, they pack a punch with the reigning Horse of the Year, Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), making her first start in front of the home crowd since her open daylight debut over this surface at this meet two...

by Jessica Martini, Christina Bossinakis and Jill Williams LEXINGTON, KY - Led by a $3.3-million son of Gun Runner, the Keeneland September Yearling Sale powered through a record-setting opening session Monday in Lexington. When the dust had settled after the first of two elite Book 1 sessions, 106 yearlings had sold for $69,240,000. The average was $653,208--the highest ever at a single September session--and the median was $537,500. With just 28 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 20.90%. Those figures are ahead of last year's opening session, when...

Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa has acquired a half-interest in 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) in a deal which includes former NFL star Marshawn Lynch, according to a press release from the farm. Trained by Kenny McPeek, who selected her as a yearling, she is one of only seven distaffers in the history of the American turf and only the second 3-year-old filly, along with the fabulous Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro), to claim the coveted title. A six-time Grade I winner with victories in the GI...

6th-SAR, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 4:02 p.m. ET. DR. AGNE (Into Mischief), the third foal to race out of champion turf female Lady Eli (Divine Park), is set for his first start under trainer Cherie DeVaux who TDN contributor Tim Wilkin reminded us Thursday is all too familiar with the celebrated dam while an assistant for Chad Brown. A half-sister to MGSW Bizzy Caroline (Afleet Alex), Lady Eli was a $4.2-million buy for John Sikura/Hill 'n' Dale during the 2018 Keeneland November Sale. Himself a $185,000 purchase during Keeneland September...

Neil Pessin, who trained the late Bob Lothenbach's Bell's the One (Majesticperfection) to a victory in the GI Derby City Distaff in its COVID-delayed renewal in 2020, is leaving the training ranks effective immediately. The affable conditioner's final starter was Finn McSorley (English Channel), who finished eighth in a Keeneland maiden special weight on the grass Apr. 25. "I'd like to keep training, but financially it's very tough and I was down to two maiden turf horses, one maiden claimer, and it's just not financially feasible to keep going," Pessin...

Maybe starting my Breeding Digest on Monday mornings is not such a good plan. The dust may by then be settling on the racing weekend, but by the look of it, perhaps I need a little longer to recover from my own, somewhat less wholesome exertions! How else do I account for failing to include the principal guarantor of Distorted Humor's male line, Maclean's Music, alongside my reflections on his burgeoning legacy as a broodmare sire? Maclean's Music has three young sons at stud in Kentucky, in Jackie's Warrior, Drain...

Pegasus Day at Gulfstream is one of my most enjoyable days at the races. The melding of great entertainment, world-class horses, and a great vibe shows racing at its best. It is expensive to put on and showcases our sport in the highest light. It is also the most ironic considering the recent announcement regarding the closing of Gulfstream and seeking development absent horse racing. I was perplexed to listen to Belinda Stronach on Pegasus Day speak of the non-compatibility of racing in an urban environment, despite all of the...

Three years ago, John Sikura was blown away by how breeders responded to Hill 'n' Dale's new sire Charlatan, a multiple Grade I-winning son of Speightstown who bred 222 mares in his debut season. Sikura didn't expected to see demand quite like that again anytime soon, but he admits that he has been proven wrong since another Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' recently arrived at Hill 'n' Dale. Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo-Borealis Night, by Astrology), winner of the 2023 GI Pacific Classic Stakes, will stand for $30,000 in his debut...

New investors at the elite level of our sport are clearly being well briefed in the odds they need to overcome. But if nobody can have failed to notice one operation pronouncing itself "Resolute," only gradually are people becoming as aware of another that had already been branded as "Determined." As we'll see, a certain staunchness is not only innate to Matt Dorman of Determined Stud but has also been fortified by experience, some of it as challenging as life can throw at us. The upshot is a conspicuous sense...

The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale concluded its nine-day run in Lexington Wednesday with vibrant trade from a diverse buying bench leading to across-the-board increases where were highlighted by a new sales record median. "Overall, this was a very strong, fair market from start to finish," Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. "Book 1 gross jumped nearly 15% from last year with a much-improved clearance rate and that momentum powered the sale through the final days." For the nine days, 2,158 horses sold for $196,442,900. The average of...

Kevin Attard already knows it will be difficult, going back home to his barn at Woodbine and seeing an empty stall where stable star Moira (Ghostzapper) has been a steady presence for the past four years. The Canadian Horse of the Year and millionaire will perform in what will likely be her last dance in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Saturday before she goes through the ring on Nov. 4 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. "This is probably one of the hardest things I've done in...

Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, a perennial leading sire, will relocate to Frank Stronach's Adena Springs Farm in Aurora, Ontario Canada for what is most likely his final year at stud, Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa announced Monday. "I want to thank Frank Stronach for the privilege of standing Ghostzapper at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa," said John Sikura. "It has been our honor to stand this outstanding sire and exceptional breed-shaping stallion. His record at stud will influence the breed for generations. At this point in his career, Ghostzapper...