DENALI SALES GRADS HEADED TO THE BREEDERS CUP

Denali Stud once again will have several sales grads represent the farm and consignment at the 2016 edition of the Breeders Cup at Santa Anita Park. Leading the way will be Breeders Cup Classic entrant MELATONIN. The now 5-year-old gelding by Kodiak Kowboy was foaled, raised and sold by Denali Stud and we all look forward to seeing this $20K bargain yearling show us what he’s made of on the world’s biggest stage. He’s already racked up four wins in four starts at Santa Anita, on his way to amassing earnings of $1,218,552. He worked a mile in 1:41 1/5 on October 22nd and according to regular rider Joe Talamo there was a lot of horse left at the end of the work. Best of luck to owner Susan Osborne and all the connections.

Headed toward the Breeders Cup Sprint will be another bargain purchase, NOHOLDINGBACK BEAR. Hammered down at $25K to Bear Stables at the Keeneland January 2014 sale as a short yearling, this colt has earned his connections $504,980 to date, and his entry in the Sprint could easily more than double that. With a recent win in the G3 Gallant Bob S., trainer De Paulo thinks he showed that he was good enough to run with top caliber horses and his 2 3/4 Ragozin number sets him up well coming into the Sprint. He won’t have it easy, as he’ll face veteran sprinters Drefong, A.P. Indian and Masochistic, but connections are confident this strong, good feeling horse is peaking at the right time.

Other Breeders Cup pre-entrants include juveniles MADE YOU LOOK and TICONDEROGA, both very well bred colts who will target the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf. MADE YOU LOOK, a $360K yearling, is a More Than Ready out of an Unbridled’s Song daughter of Champion Serena’s Song. Only the mare’s second foal, he’s fresh off a win in the G2 With Anticipation S.  in only his third start and we look forward to seeing what he’ll do next. TICONDEROGA was a highly sought after yearling, fetching $850K at Keeneland September in 2015. A Tapit out of millionaire Keertana, the bay colt was recently a very good second in the G3 Dixiana Bourbon S. at Keeneland. Bred for the turf, he should improve off that effort and we think either of these colts could do very well if connections run them in the Breeders Cup. At any rate, they both have very bright futures and we look forward to seeing what else they can accomplish.

Another juvenile that could make a start in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies is Sales Grad CHAMPAGNE ROOM. This Broken Vow filly out of Lucky to Be Me sold for $70K as a weanling in Keeneland November 2014 and has done her connections proud, breaking her maiden in the G2 Sorrento S. and running a good second in the G1 Del Mar Debutante S. Bred in Kentucky by long time clients Respite Farm, this filly continues to improve and we look forward to more big things in her future. Denali will consign her half sister, a filly by Drosselmeyer – HIP 2150, at the upcoming Keeneland November sale.

Sales Grad CALGARY CAT is among the pre-entries for the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint, and also on the waiting list for the race is Sales Grad HOLY LUTE. Former Canadian Champion Sprinter Calgary Cat was another bargain purchase, coming in at $40K at the Fasig Tipton Kentucky October sale in 2011. He has racked up $860K in earnings to date and though he hasn’t yet won a Grade 1 race, he was a very strong finisher in his last start to win the G2 Nearctic Stakes on October 15th at Woodbine. HOLY LUTE, a half-million dollar earning son of Midnight Lute, who also went through our yearling sales program, earned his first Graded Stakes placing in the G3 Eddie D S. at Santa Anita at the end of September and should be ready to roll at post time if he draws in.

With Denali Sales Grad and multiple Grade 1 winners CURALINA a possible starter in the Breeders Cup Distaff and PHOTO CALL a possible starter in the Filly and Mare Turf, we have plenty to look forward to in this years edition of the greatest day of racing. Stay tuned for more on entries, and be sure to stop by and see us at the sales. We’d be happy to sell you YOUR Saturday Afternoon big horse…