Legion Bloodstock

As the industry-wide debate over the Triple Crown's spacing grows increasingly loud, Whit Beckman is choosing to listen to his horse. Ocelli (Connect), the gutsy colt who defied 70-1 odds to finish third in the GI Kentucky Derby after drawing into the big event just two days beforehand, is one of three Derby contenders preparing to take on the second leg of the Triple Crown. Should he find the winner's circle, he would become the first maiden to win the GI Preakness Stakes since 1888. Beckman's confidence to swim against...

Pretty Boy Miah (Beau Liam) moved into the 14th and final spot in the GI Preakness Stakes field Sunday following the defections of Express Kid (Bodexpress) and Smoovin Saturday (I'll Have Another). The gelding has won his last two starts in wire-to-wire fashion since trainer Jeremiah Englehart added blinkers for a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race Mar. 29 at Aqueduct. He added a one-mile starter optional claiming win at that oval Apr. 25. "These races come around just once a year and you only have one chance in a...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - With brisk activity at the top of the market, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training opened Tuesday with a lively day of trade topped by a $1.35-million son of Corniche. The colt was one of three to bring seven figures during the session. The entire 2025 March sale produced seven million-dollar juveniles. "Certainly an excellent day," said OBS president Tom Ventura. "We had a lot of activity in the barns during the week and expected that...

A colt from the first crop of champion juvenile Corniche (hip 95) quickly established a new high-water mark, selling to Legion Bloodstock for $1.35-million at OBS March Tuesday. Out of Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Leigh Court, the colt worked a quarter mile in :21. Bred in Kentucky by Speedway Stables, LLC, he was consigned by Pick View LLC who purchased him as a yearling at Keeneland September last year for $250,000. Represented by his first crop of juveniles, 2021 champion 2-year-old colt Corniche stands at Ashford Stud. "We bought a...

LEXINGTON, KY - The four-day Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale reached its halfway point in Lexington Tuesday and continued to produce figures significantly ahead of its record-setting 2024 edition. Through two sessions, 540 yearlings have grossed $33,091,000 for an average of $61,280 and a median of $30,000. At the same point last year, 544 horses had grossed $28,753,000 for an average of $52,855 and a median of $20,000. The 2024 auction concluded with a cumulative record gross of $58,575,500 and a record average of $52,206. "The second session of the...

LEXINGTON, KY -- The Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale powered through its opening session in Lexington Monday, with figures up significantly from its record-setting 2024 renewal. "It was a great start to the October Yearling Sale in Kentucky," Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning said at the close of business Monday. "All of the statistical categories produced significant increases and we saw a continuation of the trends that we've seen from July carried through August, carried through September and now in October. There was tremendous demand at more levels than we've seen...

A colt by Curlin (hip 268) lit up the board at the first session of the Fasig-Tipton October sale when bringing a final bid of $900,000 from Legion Bloodstock's Kristian Villante. Villante was bidding on behalf of a partnership of Legion clients led by the Hudson family's Hoolie Racing. Bred by Alpha Delta Stables and consigned by Mill Ridge Sales, the yearling is the first foal out of Canadian champion Munnyfor Ro (Munnings). Alpha Delta purchased the mare, with the colt in utero, for $900,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton November...

Colts have dominated much of the activity at the top of the leaderboard at the Keeneland September Sale in Lexington. However, the fairer set had their day Tuesday with fillies filled five of the six top slots, headed by a daughter of Nyquist who brought $375,000 from Legion Bloodstock, buying on behalf of the new venture Icon Racing. Icon Racing is a partnership launched by MLB All-Star and World Series-winning Jayson Werth, who made racing's headlines earlier this spring with a horse he co-owned, Dornoch (Good Magic), winner of the...

Kyle Zorn considers himself and his partners Travis Durr and Kristian Villante to be a group of big thinkers. The trio set out with some pretty high expectations for themselves when they formed Legion Bloodstock three years ago, but looking back now, they never could have predicted the initial success that their partnership has enjoyed. Over the next few days in Saratoga, Legion Bloodstock's handiwork will be on full display. Their biggest find to date, Grade II winner Honor Marie (Honor Code), takes on the GI Travers Stakes, but there...

Find us a Saturday kind of horse. That's what Kerry and Alan Ribble told Kyle Zorn over a two-hour lunch one afternoon in Lexington. The Hot Springs, Arkansas natives had traveled up to Kentucky to meet with Zorn, who was then in the midst of co-founding Legion Bloodstock, and learn what it might take for them to make a step up from the claiming game. Now two years later they have a running joke with Zorn: Well, you didn't have to find us a first Saturday in May kind of...

TIMONIUM, MD - A steady edition of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale--which featured heavy rain from its weekend previews through both sessions--concluded Tuesday in Timonium with numbers down from last year's lively renewal of the auction. "The weather was pretty dismal, but it was a pretty active sale," said Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett. "The pavilion was very busy both days. We had a great crowd both days. Today, I saw people I didn't see yesterday. People kept coming and they came to buy horses." Through two sessions,...

TIMONIUM, MD - The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale gained momentum throughout its first session Monday in Timonium, with a filly by Uncle Mo bringing the day's top price when selling for $320,000 to Legion Bloodstock. A total of 145 yearlings sold Monday for $3,947,200. The average was $27,222 and the median was $14,000. The buy-back rate was 18.5%. During last year's opening session, 149 horses grossed $4,577,300 for an average of $30,720 and a median of $20,000. The buy-back rate was 16.3%. Ten yearlings sold for six figures Monday,...