Wounded Warrior Nabs Bernardini Filly

by Lucas Marquardt
Up-and-coming owner Chip McEwen has an exciting Kentucky Derby prospect on his hands in the form of the New York-bred Uncle Sigh (Indian Charlie), but yesterday, his business partner Danzel Brendemuehl was busy adding prospects to his juvenile-pinhooking operation. Brendemuehl, on behalf of McEwen’s Wounded Warrior Stable, paid $200,000 for a Hidden Brook-consigned Bernardini filly, the top-priced short yearling to sell Sunday. The Feb. 7-foaled bay is a daughter of GSW Bohemian Lady (Carson City), a half-sister to Grade I winner Any Given Saturday (Distorted Humor). She was bred by the Sanan family’s Padua Stable. Padua initially sent the filly through the ring two months ago at Keeneland November, but bought her back for $190,000. 
“We were a little surprised we didn’t get her sold at November because there was a lot of activity, but I think she fell through the cracks in terms of book and placement,” said Sasha Sanan. “But she’s a nice filly and developed well, and since we’re getting out of breeding and just racing a few horses, it made sense to bring her here.” 
Brendemuehl has been partnering with McEwen for several years now. The Florida-based horsewoman buys both pinhooking and racing prospects for McEwen, and said the Bernardini will be earmarked toward the former. 
“We think maybe we’ll keep her for a 2-year-old-in-training sale and have a little fun with her,” said Brendemuehl. “We’ve done that for a few years now [bought horses as weanlings and pinhooked them as juveniles], and we’ve done pretty well.” 
McEwen’s also done well with his racing stable, which is named after the successfull charity that provides financial assistance to servicemen and women injured in battle. Among others, Wounded Warrior Stable can boast of Uncle Sigh, who broke his maiden by 14 1/2 lengths facing New York-breds in late December in his second career start, then ran Samraat (Noble Causeway) to a length in the GIII Withers S. at Aqueduct Feb. 1. 
“He ran a terrific race and it’s great for Chip,” said Brendemuehl. “He’s put so much into this, and he’s been so supportive of various projects that support our troops when they come home. He gives 10% of all his proceeds from both races and sales to projects that benefit wounded veterans. He’s just a real good guy.” 
Among the charities McEwen supports are Retrieving Freedom, which provides service dogs to vets; and Task Force Dagger Foundation, which helps families who’ve lost a member at war. The South Carolina-based McEwen owns a pharmaceutical company. 
Brendemuehl laughed that McEwen is a “Southern boy” who is sometimes underestimated because of his drawl. “He says to me, ‘People mistake my dialect for my intellect,’” she said. “Chip’s a really smart guy, and he’s doing well with his business and with his horses.”