Kentucky Derby hero Animal Kingdom had to settle for second in the Grade I Preakness S., defeated by a half-length to front running Shackleford. The Team Valor color bearer was off to a slow start and did not pick up the pace until the ¾ pole of the 1 1/16 mile classic. He closed gamely […]
When longshots such as Animal Kingdom win the Kentucky Derby, they are frequently viewed with skepticism in the Preakness Stakes — and for good reason. The congested fields and sometimes suicidal early pace at Churchill Downs can produce fluky results. Last year, Super Saver won the Derby with a perfect, ground-saving trip while some of […]
Now among racing’s royalty, Animal Kingdom has been calm, cool and collected since he was born reports Kathleen Irwin on NBC Sports. This week the Derby winner with David Nava aboard went about his morning workouts at the Fair Hill Training Center in Fair Hill, Md. This is trainer Graham Motion’s home base of operations […]
When Team Valor International’s Animal Kingdom took the May 7 Kentucky Derby, he continued to validate the partnership’s worldwide approach to racing. The Versailles-based operation bred and races the chestnut colt, who is Bluegrass-born but sports an international pedigree. “I’ve only won a couple of really big ones and when it happens, it’s just surreal, […]
Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom is one of nine Kentucky-breds in the field of 14 3-year-olds contesting the 136th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in Baltimore on Saturday. That’s 64% of the Preakness field, roughly two-thirds, and twice the percentage of Kentucky’s share of the overall U.S. foal crop of 2008, when there […]
Shortly before our sales graduate ANIMAL KINGDOM captured the Kentucky Derby, Denali Sales graduate STRAIGHT STORY captured the Grade III Fort Marcy S. at Belmont. The son of Giant’s Causeway, bred by Gallagher’s Stud, shot to the front and help his lead throughout the 11/16 mile for owner Richard Santulli. The following day at Woodbine […]
DENALI STUD A “strategic partner” with Team Valor International, this farm and sales agency is based in Paris, Kentucky, and is home to all of Team Valor’s breeding stock in the bluegrass. Craig and Holly Bandoroff, the proprietors, were partners in the original acquisition of Dalicia and raced her in Southern California. When the mare […]
Team Valor International’s Animal Kingdom came from off the pace and roared down the stretch to win the 137th Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) by 2 3/4 lengths before a record crowd of 164,858 at Churchill Downs May 7. Second in the classic race worth $2,171,800 was Nehro. He finished a neck […]
Raised and sold by Denali, the son of Pulpit took a 7f maiden special weight in 1:22 3/5 in his second career start. Global Power is out of the Storm Cat mare Hidden Cat and was bred by Hidden Creek Farm. After closing ground down the lane in his April 3 debut at Gulfstream and […]
Turtle Bird Stable’s Haynesfield, winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) in 2010, has been honored as New York-bred Horse of the Year for the second year in a row. Bred by longtime clients Barry Weisbord and Margaret Santulli, Haynesfield won half of his six starts last year while earning $749,300. In addition […]
