Honey Creek Farms

The Keeneland Library is paying tribute to Pierre Bellocq, the internationally celebrated artist better known as “Peb,” with the exhibit “Artistry of Peb: Fifty Years of Features” that opens Monday, Feb. 5, and a virtual exhibit now available on Keeneland.com titled “The Artistry of Peb.”

“Artistry of Peb” showcases 18 of Bellocq’s features from The Morning Telegraph and Daily Racing Form spanning the mid-1950s to the mid-2000s. Peb’s work also appeared in this publication on several occasions, including his cover page ahead of American Pharoah’s Triple Crown bid in 2015 (see picture right).

The Keeneland Library, founded in 1939, is the caretaker of priceless materials related to Thoroughbred racing. In 2009, Peb placed his collection of approximately 2,500 original works of art, including sketches, drawings, comic strips, cartoon and caricatures of the equine industry, at the Library. The collection includes work in pen and ink, watercolor, chalk, acrylic and pencil on paper or board stock. A number of Peb’s original signed pieces adorn the walls of the Sports Bar on the second floor of the Keeneland Grandstand.

“The Keeneland Library is delighted to feature Peb’s work, which so cleverly portrays notable personalities and racing events within broader cultural contexts,” Keeneland Library Director Becky Ryder said.

Curated by Head Librarian Roda Ferraro, the exhibit in the Library features high-quality facsimiles of the somewhat fragile original drawings to ensure they are not damaged by long-term exposure to light. Visitors also will be able to watch a video about Peb produced by Keeneland’s Broadcast Services Department. The exhibit is to run through the summer.

The Keeneland Library is open to the public Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.

The online exhibit, “The Artistry of Peb,” highlights more than 120 of Peb’s digitized works. It joins the Library’s other online features at http://keenelandlibrary.omeka.net/exhibits, “Man o’ War: In Others’ Words” and “Photo Treasures of the Keeneland Library.”

On its social media channels in February and March, Keeneland will feature Peb’s work of major stakes in conjunction with the 2018 renewals of those races.

An intriguing group of 3-year-olds take their respective first steps along the Triple Crown trail in Saturday’s GII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream Park. Well-bred Godolphin colorbearer Enticed (Medaglia d’Oro–It’s Tricky) breaks from the fence in the field of 11 as he looks to pick up where he left off. A debut winner in the Saratoga slop in early September, he was third behind Firenze Fire (Poseidon’s Warrior) and subsequent GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner and Eclipse champion Good Magic (Curlin) in Belmont’s GI Champagne S. Oct. 7. The dark bay resurfaced in Churchill’s GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 25, and held off Tiz Mischief (Into Mischief) by a head as the narrow favorite.

“This is a key race for us to see how they stack up,” said Enticed’s conditioner Kiaran McLaughlin, who has saddled two of the last four winners of this event (Cairo Prince in 2014 and Mohaymen in 2016) as well as Closing Argument in 2005. “He’s done everything right and he won a nice race last time out. The colt that he beat a nose at Churchill is probably the horse to beat for us, one of the ones to beat. He’s doing great and we’re happy, but it’s hard to compare him to Cairo Prince and Mohaymen and other horses to him.”

Tiz Mischief’s trainer Dale Romans has entered four in the Holy Bull. He’s also got two for Albaugh Family Stables in GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity winner Free Drop Billy (Union Rags) and two-time graded stakes-placed Hollywood Star (Malibu Moon), as well as Calumet’s likely longshot Bandito (Creative Cause). Of the Albaugh duo, it’s likely that only one will race.

“It’s to get them all started, but it also fits for all the horses,” Romans said. “If I run three, it’ll be for three different owners. I might be better for me to keep them all separated, but I think this is the best race for all these horses to start back this year.”

The meet’s perennial leading trainer Todd Pletcher only has one Holy Bull trophy on his mantle, but has two live chances to add to his collection. Audible (Into Mischief), a $500,000 Fasig-Tipton buy at the Gulfstream 2-year-old sale last season, defeated a pair of next-out graduates while stretching out in New York-bred company in November. He then dusted open optional claimers in a rained off affair back at the Big A Dec. 6. Pony Up (Aikenite) just missed first up over this strip back in July, but has competed exclusively on turf since then. He was second in both the Dec. 9 Pulpit S. and Jan. 6 Kitten’s Joy S.

Mississippi (Pioneerof the Nile), a $700,000 pick-up out of the same Fasig sale as Audible, gave that one’s stablemate Noble Indy (Take Charge Indy) a hard fight when a close second in a track-and-trip optional claimer Jan. 11. Noble Indy garnered the ‘TDN Rising Star’ distinction for the win, while Mississippi received a field’s best Beyer Speed Figure of 88.

The final day of the reformatted four-day NZB Karaka Yearling Sale Book 1 ended on a high, with all key statistics rising from 2017. Of the 700 yearlings catalogued in Book 1, 539 sold (82.5%), grossing NZ$83,549,000–already higher than last year’s entire Premier, Select and Festival Sales combined. The average was NZ$155,007, while the median was NZ$110,000 at the close of sale on Wednesday. One of the most telling indices, was that the average for fillies was NZ$167,857, over NZ$20,000 above the colts’ average of NZ$147,504. A Tavistock (NZ) filly (lot 612) went the way of the China Horse Club to top the final session for NZ$975,000.

“This sale has already exceeded all expectations,” said New Zealand Bloodstock’s Managing Director Andrew Seabrook. “For the Book 1 turnover to exceed 2017’s total sale aggregate is remarkable. One of our ambitions in designing the new format was to retain international buyers onsite for longer, so to see today’s activity so strong right to the end, with a clearance of 85% for Day 4, goes a long way towards validating the new format.”

Tavistock/Cambridge Provide Top Two Lots…

The China Horse Club’s Bloodstock and Racing Manager Michael Wallace successfully acquired Wednesday’s topper from Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan’s Cambridge Stud draft. Lot 612, by Cambridge resident Tavistock, is out of the unraced Special Diamond (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), a full-sister to G1SW Don Eduardo (NZ) and a half to MG1SW Tristalove (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}). The bay’s second dam is G1 Railway H. heroine Diamond Lover (Aus) (Sticks and Stones {Aus}), while her third is the exceptional matriarch Eight Carat (GB) (Pieces of Eight {Ire}), the dam of Octagonal (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).

“Patrick is putting up his world-class pedigrees,” said Wallace. “You take these opportunities when they arise–world-class pedigrees, world-class type and from a world-class stallion. From a long-term perspective that’s very enticing.”

Another yearling by Tavistock and consigned by Cambridge, this time a colt (lot 667), drew the eye of Dean Hawthorne, who bid NZ$700,000 to take home the second-dearest lot on the day. The Aug. 28-foaled bay is out of dual winner Tricia’o (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), a half-sister to MGSW & MG1SP La Sizeranne (NZ) (Stravinsky), as well as G1SP Imperial Lass (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and GSPs Joy’s Choice (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) and Napa Sky (NZ) (Stravinsky). G1 Australian Derby hero Tavago (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) is also under the GSP second dam.

The Hogans, who have run Cambridge Stud for 44 years, were honoured before the start of the fourth session on Wednesday. New owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay will take up the reins of the historic stud in April and have been active during Book 1, shelling out NZ$1.365 million for five head, led by a NZ$520,000 filly (lot 695) by Lonhro (Aus) from the Jamieson Park draft.

Zoustar Filly Goes to Beemsterboer….

Lot 600, a filly by young Widden Stud sire Zoustar (Aus) from the Landsdowne Park consignment, caused some fireworks just a dozen hips earlier than the Wednesday topper, when Ger Beemsterboer extended to NZ$650,000. The fourth foal out of the unraced Snow Blitz (Aus) (Zabeel {NZ}), the bay’s second dam is G1 Golden Slipper S. heroine Polar Success (Aus) (Success Express).

“We paid a bit more than we thought for the Sacred Falls (NZ) [NZ$210,000 for Waikato Stud’s lot 426,] and got this one for a bit less–you have to be lucky,” said Beemsterboer of his two filly purchases. “Both of them will be entered in the Karaka Million.”

Yulong Lands Savabeel Filly…

Yuesheng Zhang’s Yulong Investments limited its spending to the final day of Book 1, but the operation still managed to rank 10th by aggregate on the buyers’ sheets, outlaying NZ$1.455 million for six lots on Wednesday. Leading the way was a NZ$625,000 daughter (lot 595) of Waikato Stud’s Savabeel (Aus), who also consigned the bay, on the bid of Yulong’s COO Sam Fairgray. The well-credentialed miss is out of a half-sister to four-time Group 1 winner Metal Bender (NZ) (Danasinga {Aus}). G1SW Keeper (Aus) (Danehill) is a member of the extended family.

“She is a quality filly, Mr. Zhang really liked her and we wanted to add her to our racing team,” said Fairgray. “Quality is hard to get and you have to pay the money for it. Hopefully we see the rewards on the racetrack. Mr. Zhang loved Zabeel (NZ), and now he loves Savabeel (Aus), so we came here looking to get one. It’s been great to secure a Savabeel filly from one of the best nurseries in New Zealand.”

Fairgray also parted with NZ$300,000 for a Milan Park-consigned colt (lot 700) by Savabeel out of Youtoofast (NZ) (Fast ‘n’ Famous {Aus}). The final lot in the ring on Wednesday, the colt is from the family of G1SWs Vision And Power (NZ) (Carnegie {Ire}) and Glamour Puss (NZ) (Tale of the Cat).

New Format a Success….

The Chittick Family’s Waikato Stud leads the vendors’ table at the close of Book 1, with 70 yearlings grossing NZ$12,845,000. Cambridge Stud sits second with 51 sold for NZ$9,762,500 followed by Haunui Farm which took third by average (NZ$218,217) and by gross (NZ$5,019,000) for 51 head. Highden Park led all consignors by average (NZ$238,333), with six yearlings bringing NZ$1,430,000.

Mark Chittick was pleased with the reworking of the Karaka Sales and commented, “The new format to me has just been a masterstroke and so successful. Everybody in the NZB team has been Group 1 quality.”

A strong buying bench–both international and local–continued to dig deep in their pockets through the fourth day of the sale, with representatives from Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore already exceeding their combined Premier and Select Sale spending of 2017. Australian Dean Hawthorne has purchased nine yearlings for NZ$3.875 million, while the Hong Kong Jockey Club has paid NZ$2.06 million for seven lots. New Zealander David Ellis of Te Akau Racing has also exceeded his 2017 spending, spending NZ$7,612,500 for 27 lots and is on track to secure his 13th consecutive leading buyer title. Among them is the NZ$1.025 million Book 1 sale topper, a Cambridge Stud-consigned colt (lot 301) by Savabeel (Aus) out of Katie Lee (Aus).

The two-day Book 2, which will offer lots 701-900, commences at 11 a.m. local time at Karaka.

Twenty seven additional offerings–including racing and/or broodmare prospects, in-foal mares and short yearlings–have been added to the Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed sale catalogue. Listed as hips 548 to 574, they are available to view online now. Among the supplemented entries are:

Lirica (Kantharos), a stakes winner at two and three from the female family of 2017 GI Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity winner McKinzie (Street Sense). She will be offered as a racing/broodmare prospect by Taylor Made Sales agency as hip 548.

Secret Garden (Per) (Flanders Fields), a Group 1 winner in her native country from the family of Bernardini consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by South Point Sales Agency, Agent XI as hip 549.

Girl Talk (Medaglia d’Oro), a stakes-placed racing or broodmare prospect out of MGSW One Caroline (Unbridled’s Song) and a half to GSP Improv (Distorted Humor). She will be consigned by Craig and Holly Bandoroff’s Denali Stud on behalf of Ramona Bass and Cheyenne Stables as hip 574.

The sale will be held Monday, Feb. 5 and Tuesday, Feb. 6 in Lexington.