Mayberry Farm

Did you hear the one about the wrestler who opted for three foals and a submission? Understandably, Jeff Kerber feels a little conflicted about the "submission." In his youth, as Iowa's first high school wrestler unbeaten through four years of varsity competition, everything came down to what he could do with his bare hands. In lately discovering a flair for a second walk of sporting life, however, Kerber had to make a pragmatic concession to the economic odds against him. His entire Kentucky program comprised four mares, and one of...

by Jessica Martini, Christina Bossinakis and Jill Williams LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland September Yearling Sale continued to churn out double-digit year-on-year gains as its second Book 2 session concluded Thursday night with yet another son of Gun Runner leading the way. Through four sessions of the 12-day auction, 671 yearlings have grossed $307,639,000. At this same point a year ago, 640 head had sold for $252,528,000. Asked about the gross surpassing the $300-million mark after day four, Keeneland Senior Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach laughed and said, "It's...

Among the some 170 catalogued horses expected to breeze during Wednesday's fourth session of the under-tack preview for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, one colt stands out on paper thanks to his famous grandmother. Shuggy (Twirling Candy) (hip 668) is the first foal out of champion Zenyatta's unraced daughter Zellda (Medaglia d'Oro). Mayberry Farm is consigning the bay colt on behalf of Ann Holbrook Moss, who campaigned Zenyatta with her ex-husband, the late Jerry Moss. "Everything Zenyatta is hers," April Mayberry said of Holbrook....

There is one moment that still sticks out to April Mayberry from Zenyatta's time at her family's farm in Ocala. From the day the daughter of Street Cry (Ire) arrived at Mayberry Farm, she was straightforward but not necessarily a standout. That is, until the future superstar had her first breeze. Mayberry's mother Jeanne instructed rider Ronaldo Rodas to take it easy, let the filly follow behind four or five other 2-year-olds and see how she handled it. As the story goes, in a move that would later become her...

by Christina Bossinakis & Stefanie Grimm Lexington, KY--The onset of the yearling season every summer can be a bit of a worrisome time for many. With the yearlings that have been so painstakingly selected by Fasig-Tipton's team for its first yearling sale of the season, it can often be a bit unnerving whether things will go off without a hitch or not. And at the conclusion of Tuesday's yearling session, it appeared that it had. "It was a fantastic start to the 2024 yearling sales season," affirmed Fasig-Tipton President and...

A filly from the first crop of multiple Grade I winner Tiz the Law (hip 365) tied the track record when working a quarter-mile in :20 1/5 during the third session of the under-tack preview for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, while 17 juveniles shared the session's fastest furlong time of :9 4/5, Tuesday in Central Florida. "It was pretty special," consignor Tom McCrocklin said of the bullet quarter-mile work. "I have one disability that keeps me knowing that one will go that fast...

6th-SA, $65K, Msw, 4-5yo, 7f, 5:59 p.m. ET At $1.15 million as the ninth highest price taken during Keeneland's 2021 September Sale, Mayberry Farm signed the ticket on behalf of Lee and Susan Searing's CRK Stable to acquire THEISMANN (Quality Road). Sent to John Shirreffs, the colt initially began to drill late in his juvenile year, but was given time by the veteran conditioner when he had several minor setbacks as a 3-year-old. Ready to fire as an 8-1 shot on the morning-line, the bay was bred by Dixiana and...

LEXINGTON, KY-The Fasig-Tipton October Yearlings Sale produced its strongest session of the week Wednesday at Newtown Paddocks, bringing its cumulative figures within striking distance of its 2022 record levels. Through three sessions, 790 yearlings have grossed $38,981,000 for an average of $49,343 and a median of $23,500. The average is down just 4.5% from the same point of last year's sale and the median is down 6%. "It was another solid day," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. "Today the numbers were up over the similar session last year and...

5th-SA, $61K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6fT, 6:00 p.m. Running on the Monday holiday, Santa Anita cards a maiden grass race which includes JUST FOR FUN (Justify). A $485,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase by Mayberry Farm on behalf of Lee and Susan Searing's CRK Stable, the juvenile sets sail for trainer John Shirreffs. The bay filly is out fo SP Appeal to the Win (Successful Appeal), who is a half-sib to MSW Cool Cowboy (Kodiak Kowboy) and the dams of GII Bourbon S. hero Mutasaabeq (Into Mischief) and GI Whitney H....

By Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland September Yearling Sale's first Book 2 session continued right on from where the auction's elite Book 1 section concluded, producing strong results largely in line with last year's record-setting renewal. During Wednesday's session, 209 yearlings sold for $64,024,000. The session average of $306,335 and the median was $255,000. During last year's Book 2 opener, 219 head grossed $66,695,000 for an average of $304,543 and a median of $250,000. With 83 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 28.42%....

Kirk Godby didn't think he'd buy a horse in 2021. The plan wasn't there, no paperwork was prepared, but when partners lean on you to buy a racing prospect, it's not always a request even when it sounds like one. Godby, co-founder of Don't Tell My Wife Stables along with long-time business partner Rob Slack, didn't exactly have a master plan in place before the opportunity to purchase Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}) arose. Like most small operations, there was a set budget to adhere to and buying something regally-bred...

Flightline (Tapit) showed that he was fast from the start with his 13 1/4-length, 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy debut, but he proved his status as an elite talent in his most recent jaw-dropping performance when he passed the wire on cruise control in the GI Runhappy Malibu S., winning by 11 ½ lengths and earning a 118 Beyer speed figure. The impressive colt's ownership group of Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing has undoubtedly spent much of this new year celebrating their star's unforgettable...