Niall Brennan

The major yearling sales are still a few months out, but to Kristin Brennan they are right around the corner. The yearling manager at Colin Brennan Bloodstock at Highlander Training Center isn't concerned because she's always dialed in. As part of a family of horsemen, including her father Niall and brother Colin, who helms the operation at Highlander in East Texas, Kristin has literally grown up around the sport of horse racing. "I started riding when I was maybe three and my granddad would come from Ireland and he'd throw...

With the first major 2-year-old sale, OBS March, now in the books, and the next round, the OBS April sale, right around the corner, it's time for some predictions. We asked the experts who their pick is for leading freshman sire and also asked them for a "sleeper pick," or a stallion that will perform beyond expectations. Here's what they had to say: NELSON ARROYO Top Pick: Life is Good, WinStar Farm, $60,000 This is one of the best years we've ever had when it comes to the freshman sire...

Taj Mahal (Nyquist), two-for-two after winning the Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel Feb. 21, is expected to make his next start in the Apr. 4 GII Wood Memorial, Tom Ryan of co-owner SF Racing confirmed Sunday. "The notion is he'll take his shot in the Wood Memorial," Ryan said. "He's done nothing wrong so far, and he's ran himself up the ladder while improving his numbers. He's got some nice time in between after his first two starts were close together. I personally believe the distance is not going to...

The fifth installment of the 2025 OwnerView webinar series took place on July 1 focusing on the development of young horses with panelists Niall Brennan (Niall Brennan Stables), David O'Farrell (Ocala Stud), trainer Lindsay Schultz and retired pinhooker Eddie Woods. Gary Falter, the project manager for OwnerView, moderated a panel discussion. The conference is hosted by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and presented by Bessemer Trust, Keeneland, and Stoll Keenon Ogden. The panel was sponsored by OCD Pellets. According to O'Farrell, it's important to start...

While eight horses tied for the fastest furlong of :9 4/5, a filly from the first crop of Grade I winner Yaupon (hip 181) distinguished herself with a bullet quarter-mile breeze in :20 2/5 during the second session of the under-tack preview ahead of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Monday in Central Florida. Consigned by Tom McCrocklin, hip 181 is out of Moon Over Mag Bay (Malibu Moon), a daughter of stakes winner Believe in Charlie (Indian Charlie). "She's just naturally fast," McCrocklin said...

With the first major 2-year-old sale, OBS March, now in the books, it's time for some predictions. We asked the experts who their pick is for leading freshman sire and also asked them for a "sleeper pick" or a stallion that will perform beyond expectations. Here's what they had to say: Jimbo Gladwell Top Pick: Charlatan, Standing for $50,000 in 2025 at Hill 'n' Dale Ten percent of the horses I've had on the farm are by Charlatan, so I am a Charlatan fan. They are really smart horses that...

By Francis LaBelle, courtesy Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Celestial City learned how to be a racehorse by continually proving himself against top competition. Each time he raced, he showed that the lessons he was learning were taking hold. Celestial City became a graded stakes winner, but just when his promising career was finally taking flight, he sustained an injury that ended his days as a racehorse. Now, he has a new home and a new purpose. On February 12, Celestial City joined the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's (TRF) herd at the Lowell...

A total of 15 juveniles shared the bullet :9 4/5 furlong work time during the second session of the under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale Thursday in Central Florida. Three of the bullet workers came from the Wavertree Stables consignment: a filly by Nyquist (hip 304) out of High Heeled Girl (Malibu Moon); a filly by American Freedom (hip 400) out of Limitless (Discreet Cat); and a colt by Shancelot (hip 421) out of Magnolias in Bloom (Flatter). Wavertree also had a McKinzie...

A pair of colts from the first crop of McKinzie and a filly by Munnings shared the fastest furlong time of :9 4/5 during the first session of the under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company' March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Wednesday in Central Florida. Consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, the daughter of Munnings (hip 26) was the first to set the bullet mark some 15 minutes into the under-tack show. The bay is out of the unraced Ansaam (Bernardini), a half-sister to Grade I winner Denman's Call...

A filly by Good Magic (hip 1112) turned in the fastest quarter-mile work of Saturday's final session of the under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training when covering the distance in :20 3/5 for consignor Tom McCrocklin. "I don't clock my horses at any point," McCrocklin said. "All these 2-year-olds I sell, I never have a stopwatch in my hand. But at this point, I think I know who can run and who can't. That filly has appeared to be fast for a...

From this year's class, which freshman sire will emerge on top? And what sire currently flying under the radar will be the year's biggest surprise? With 2-year-old sales season upon us, over the next few days, we will be hearing from some of the experts. NIALL BRENNAN Top Pick: Vino Rosso (Curlin--Mythical Bride, by Street Cry {Ire}). Spendthrift Farm, 2023 fee: $15,000. The Mitoles were popular at the yearling sales and they sold well at the OBS March sale. They look like they will be early types. There will be...

Six 2-year-olds previously purchased at last year's Keeneland September Sale for a collective $4.875 million through bloodstock agent Richard Knight have been resold, according to a report in Blood-Horse. Keeneland did not reveal the buyers or purchase prices. "All six 2-year-olds were sold in the reoffer," said Tony Lacy, Keeneland's vice president of sales. "The 'invitation to make an offer' format met our goal of being a fair and transparent process for prospective buyers in this unique, one-time situation." Prospective buyers were to submit only one offer on each horse...