May 17, 2011
Grade 1-wining Millionaire Misremembered to Hill ‘n’ Dale

Grade 1-winner and track record setting Millionaire Misremembered will stand the 2012 breeding season at Hill ‘n’ Dale, the farm announced today. Bred and trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Misremembered raced for Baffert’s wife, Jill, and longtime family friend George Jacobs.

The leading earner for his sire, world record miler, Candy Ride, Misremembered ran first or second in 11 of 13 career starts.. His dam, Multiple Graded Stakes Winner Beyond Perfection, was one of the Leading Juveniles in California in 1990, after wins in the Grade 2 Del Mar Debutante and Barretts Debutante Stakes. Baffert is quoted as saying that Hill ‘n’ Dale owner, John Sikura, suggested that he purchase Misremembered’s dam and breed her to Candy Ride who stood at the Hill ‘n’ Dale at the time.

Misremembered paired up wins at Hollywood Park in the beginning of his career in 2009, before posting victories in the Grade 2 Swaps Stakes and Grade 2 Indiana Derby where he ran the 8 1/2 furlongs in a track record time of 1:40 4/5. His victory the following year in the $750,000 Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap was perhaps his crowning achievement. Misremembered started off 2011 with an easy 3 length win in the Santana Mile at Santa Anita, stopping the clock for the mile in 1:33 and 2/5.

“The way he won the Santana Mile in near track record time, in a gallop, showcased his brilliance in a manner similar to his sire, Candy Ride, who set a new track record at a mile and a quarter while defeating Medaglia d'Oro. He blossomed into a true Classic horse,” said Bob Baffert.

“I have a special affection for the horse because of my connections to his sire, his dam and his owner. There is something very special at play. We launched Candy Ride on a meteoric rise to stardom so I have had a watchful eye on his sons,” said Hill ‘n’ Dale owner John Sikura. “We are very happy to add Misrembered to our roster where his good looks and brilliance fit the prototype of a classic sire.”

Misremembered retires as the #1-ranked handicap horse in North America according to the Daily Racing Form poll with earnings of $1,306,709. He will stand for a fee of $7,500 Live Foal.

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CONCORD POINT to stand at HILL 'N' DALE

November 1, 2010

Multiple Graded Stakes-winning Track Record Setter Concord Point to stand at Hill ‘n’ Dale for 2011

Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms announced today that Concord Point, Tapit’s leading money earning colt in North America, will retire from racing and stand the 2011 breeding season at the farm in Lexington, Kentucky.

A Multiple Graded Stakes-winning Track Record Setter, Concord Point sold as a yearling for $220,000 and was Tapit’s highest-priced yearling of 2008.

Concord Point showcased his brilliance as a two-year-old, with a memorable maiden victory in his first start at Santa Anita, sizzling through fractions of :44 3/5 and 1:08 3/5 while posting a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.

“Concord Point is the best-looking Tapit I’ve seen,” said Hall of Fame Trainer Bob Baffert. “He had ridiculous, brilliant speed that he carried two turns, reminiscent of Unbridled who beat Housebuster sprinting, then went on to carry that speed a mile and a quarter. That’s what Concord Point was like. He brought his track with him and he always brought his best game. He’s got the looks, the sire, the speed and the farm to develop into a leading sire.”

Concord Point compiled an enviable record of 4 wins and 1 second from 6 career starts.

As a three-year-old, Concord Point showcased his exceptional talent with a track record-setting performance in the $250,000 Iowa Derby (G3) in his first effort around two turns, serving notice of his divisional dominance. The smashing 8 1/2 length victory earned him a 107 Beyer Speed Figure, the third highest three-year-old Beyer of 2010, behind only Discreetly Mine (G1) and Eskendereya (G1). He continued his rise up the three-year-old ranks in the $750,000 Grade 2 West Virginia Derby with a dominating wire-to-wire victory, sent off at $.80 on the dollar.

Jockey Martin Garcia said, “This horse is all speed.”

“We are extremely excited to introduce Concord Point to our Stallion roster,” said John G. Sikura, President of Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms. “He’s an exceptionally good-looking horse by one of the hottest sires on the scene today who was as brilliant as any horse we’ve brought to the farm. Kaleem Shah and Bob Baffert did a wonderful job with this horse. He was on track for winning a Grade 1 before being sidelined.”

The horse will stand for a fee of $7,500 Live Foal, Stands and Nurses.

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ZENSATIONAL to Hill 'n' Dale upon retirement

Hill 'n' Dale Farms announced Sept. 30 that multiple grade I winner Zensational, will stand stud duty at John Sikura’s Hill 'n' Dale near Lexington upon his retirement from racing.

A standout from the start, Zensational has been sent off the favorite in each of his seven starts, compiling a record of five wins and a second with victories in the Pat O'Brien and Bing Crosby Stakes (both gr. I) at Del Mar and the Triple Bend Handicap (gr. I) at Hollywood Park. Zensational has earned a triple digit Beyer in each of his victories.

"He's incredible; he's a beast,” said Baffert. “He's one of the three best horses I've ever trained. He's one of the few you get in a lifetime. He is as fast, as powerful and as good-looking as any horse you will ever see."

"Zensational is a horse that got my full attention when breaking his maiden in spectacular fashion in a hand ride," said Sikura. "He has accomplished as a 3-year-old what no horse ever has. He is a rare and special racehorse with the kind of brilliance that defines great sires."

 

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Midnight Lute to Hill 'n' Dale

Midnight Lute, the only horse to win the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) twice, has been retired from racing and will stand at John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms near Lexington in 2009. His fee is $20,000.

Midnight Lute, who earned a career total of $2,690,600, posted a 124 Beyer Speed Figure, one of the highest Beyers ever and the highest for a sprinter since 1992, when he defeated Benny the Bull in last year’s Forego Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga. That win set the stage for his victory in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Sprint at six furlongs at Monmouth Park, an effort that secured an Eclipse Award as best sprinter. His second Sprint win, last weekend at Oak Tree at Santa Anita, came in 1:07.08, the fastest in the 25-year history of the race, for Watson and Weitman Performances and Mike Pegram.

"I've never had a horse like him," said trainer Bob Baffert after Midnight Lute's second win in the Sprint, which was sponsored by Sentient Flight Group. "He showed today what a great horse he is. He's a beast; a massive, beautiful horse. The perfect Thoroughbred. He's the best I've ever trained.  I can't put into words how good this horse is. All of my client's will be breeding their best mares to him, Silverbulletday and Tough Tiz's Sis for starters."

"Midnight Lute is perfection in his conformation," said John Sikura. "Big, long, beautiful and perfectly correct. He is breathtaking to look at, and we expect him to be a top sire."

During his career, Midnight Lute also won the Perryville Stakes (gr. III) in track-record time at Keeneland and placed in the Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile Handicap (gr. I) and Malibu (gr. I) and San Fernando Breeders’ Cup (gr. II) Stakes. The 5-year-old son of Real Quiet retired with six wins from 13 starts.

Bred in Kentucky by Tom Evans, Macon Wilmil Equines, and Marjac Farms, Midnight Lute is out of the Dehere mare Candytuft, a daughter of grade III winner Bolt From the Blue.

 

Unbridled's highest priced yearling ever, Grade 2 Winner Harlington to Hill ‘n’ Dale

Eugene Melnyk’s Harlington, a $2.8 million son of Unbridled and Champion and 11-time Grade 1 winner Serena’s Song, has been retired from racing and will stand at John G. Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.

Harlington is the most expensive yearling ever sired by Kentucky Derby (G1) winner and Champion Unbridled, and was the second highest-priced yearling colt sold in 2003.  He is the fifth foal and fourth stakes winners out of one of the greatest racemares of all-time, Serena’s Song.  He is a half-brother to the Group 1-winning mare Sophisticat and to stakes winner Serena¹s Tune, who are both now stakes producers themselves, as well as to 2005 Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap winner Grand Reward, who also stands at Hill n¹ Dale.

On the racetrack, Harlington broke his maiden in New York first time out as a two year old. It was however his next start in an allowance race at Gulfstream that earned him "Rising Star” status from the Thoroughbred Daily News. Harlington captured the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap against a stellar field of older horses which included three millionaires, dual Classic winner Funny Cide among them. His victory earned him the first of three triple digit Beyer Speed Figures. He showcased his brilliance at Belmont with a win over Juddmonte's multiple graded/group stakes winner Art Master where he carved out fractions of 1:09 3/5ths en route to a 3 and a quarter length victory at a mile and a sixteenth in 1:41 flat. A winner of six races in ten starts, the son of Unbridled is one of the last flag bearers to represent his sire in the breeding shed.

“Harlington showed unbelievable potential from day one and he has unlimited potential as a stallion,” said John G. Sikura, President of Hill n¹ Dale Farms.  "We stand his half-brother and couldn”t be more pleased with his first foals.  Unbridled has not only become a Sire of Sires, but a Sire of important Sires with Unbridled’s Song doing so well, Broken Vow as Leading Third-Crop Sire last year and now Empire Maker. Add in that Eugene Melnyk is supporting Harlington with some of his best mares and the prospects are even more exciting.”

Harlington will stand for a fee of $10,000 Live Foal.

 

Better Than Honour to Be Sold

Better Than Honour, the 2007 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, will be offered at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November select mixed auction as part of a dispersal of the joint holdings of Southern Equine and Hill 'n' Dale Farms. A 12-year-old daughter of Deputy Minister, Better Than Honour is the dam of back-to-back Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winners Jazil (2006) and Rags to Riches (2007). Her other offspring include 2008 grade II winner Casino Drive, who was scheduled to compete in this year’s Belmont, but was scratched the morning of the race.

In all, eight mares and five weanlings will be offered to dissolve the Southern Equine-Hill 'n' Dale partnership including grade I winner Point Ashley (in foal to Distorted Humor) as well as grade I winner Madcap Escapade (in foal to A.P. Indy), whose first foal by A.P. Indy's son Pulpit was the highest-priced North American weanling of 2007 at $1.7 Million.

"We are proud of the fact that Southern Equine and Hill 'n' Dale were able to assemble one of the best broodmare bands in the world, including Better than Honour, who is clearly one of the most important mares in the history of the breed," Sikura said.  "Offering this group at public auction is fair to both sides of the partnership, and I am sure they will be extraordinarily well received.  There are truly once in a lifetime opportunities in this group for the private and commercial breeder alike."

BETTER THAN HONOUR

Photo by Z

 

 

Seeking the Dia to Stud at Hill 'n' Dale

It was announced Aug. 6 that the Storm Cat horse Seeking the Dia, a five-time stakes winner, four-time group winner, and earner of more than $5 million, will join the stallion roster at John G. Sikura’s Hill 'n’ Dale Farms near Lexington for the 2009 breeding season.

Seeking the Dia broke his maiden at two and won his next three starts, including the Arlington Cup (Jpn-III) at a mile, as well as the New Zealand Trophy (Jpn-II), previously won by his dam Seeking the Pearl.

Though he accumulated earnings of over $1 million on the turf, it was his switch to dirt in his 4-year-old season  where Seeking the Dia found his championship form. Throughout his career, Seeking the Dia won or placed in 15 group events, 10 of which were group Is, including consecutive runner-up efforts in the 2005 and 2006 Japan Cup Dirt (Jpn-I). He scored in races ranging from seven furlongs to 1 1/4 miles on dirt and turf. At season's end, he was co-Highweight Older Male Dirt Horse in Japan.

Seeking the Dia was bred in Kentucky by Richard Santulli's Jayeff “B” Stables and is out of French and European champion Seeking the Pearl, by Seeking the Gold. 

Seeking the Dia hails from the female family of prominent North American and European champion sire Lyphard.

“We are extremely pleased to be able to offer a horse like Seeking the Dia to American breeders,” said Sikura. “We live in an ever-shrinking world, and this horse is the complete package who, similar to Heatseeker, should garner a true international audience. He was an elite performer from a great female family. He’s by Storm Cat and really looks the part.”

A stud fee has not yet been determined for Seeking the Dia.

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