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Arthur B. Hancock III   --   200 Stoney Point Road, Paris, Kentucky 40361
Tel: (859) 987-3737   Fax: (859) 987-1474   E-mail: stonefarm@stonefarm.com

2/25 - BREEDERS' CUP CLASSIC WINNER SKYWALKER DIES

Oak Cliff Stables brilliant multiple G1 winner and Central Kentucky sire SKYWALKER died this morning of a heart attack at Stone Farm near Paris. The Breeders' Cup Classic-G1 winner was foaled and raised at Stone Farm, where he had stood at stud since the 1996 breeding season. He was 21.

"SKYWALKER was a grand individual and very beloved here at the farm," said Stone Farm owner Arthur Hancock III. "His death was a shock to all of us and we will certainly miss him."

With his average earnings per runner more than $68,000, a figure higher than the top 1% of all stallions, SKYWALKER averaged a phenomenal 20% stakes horses throughout his stud career. His top runner was Eclipse Champion Bertrando, earner of over $3 million whose G1 wins included the Pacific Classic in track record time and Woodward by 13 1/2 lengths. Bertrando has since become one of the West Coast's most successful sires. SKYWALKER also has sired a myriad of graded runners the likes of Supercilious, Spinelessjellyfish, Sky Terrace, and Labamta Babe. At the time of his death, SKYWALKER accounted for 70 stakes horses and progeny earnings topping $23 million.

By sire of sires Relaunch, SKYWALKER was the most accomplished of five stakes winners out of the stakes-winning Boldnesian mare Bold Captive. SKYWALKER's crowning moment was a resounding victory in the 1986 Breeders' Cup Classic-G1, then the world's richest race, over champions Turkoman, Precisionist, and Triptych. SKYWALKER also captured the Santa Anita Derby-G1 and three other graded stakes. He retired with earnings topping $2.2 million.

SKYWALKER will be buried at Stone Farm.

MENIFEE two year olds score big prices in Florida:

FTFFEB 2003, hip #240 a Menifee colt out of Another Rage by Farma Way sold for $200,000 to KATSUMI YOSHIDA. The colt was bred by BEN P WALDEN JR., W. ELLIOTT WALDEN &CRESCENT CITY STABLES
and conisgned by SCANLON, ROBERT N:AGENT

OBSFEB 2003, hip #129 a Menifee colt out od Sortofa Lady by Lord Avie sold for $190,000 to EQUINE ANALYSIS:AGENT. The colt was bred by BR: LANTERN HILL FARM, LLC AND COMPUTERAPPLICATIONS, INC. and consigned by : EQUINE LEGACY FARM;TONY HENDRIX:AGENT FOR FRANCE WEINER THOROUGHBREDS.

 

1/5/03 - SPINELESSJELLYFISH was anything but spineless winning the Senational Star H at Santa Anita. This 7 year old horse is still at the top ofhis game with a record of 34-10-6-5 and earnings now of $807,533. Under Julie Krone, he saved ground stalking the pace, waited briefly off heels in upper stretch, split horses with a bid to gain the advantage past midstretch, drifted out a bit but held on gamely between foes.

 

LABAMTA BABE back on track...

Former classic aspirant Labamta Babe, bred in Kentucky by Arthur B. Hancock III and Oak Cliff Stable, closed gamely to collar 2002 Santa Anita Derby (G1) runner-up Easy Grades in a $61,000 allowance/optional claiming race for older horses at Santa Anita Park on Saturday. Winless in four starts since returning from an injured ankle that sidelined him for seven months after his impressive Santa Catalina Stakes (G2) win nearly a year ago, the four-year-old son of Skywalker broke through with a one-length victory.

Entered under allowance conditions and sporting the colors of Edmund Gann, Labamta Babe was crowded a bit early on and raced in fifth and then fourth as pacesetter Popular, winner of the 2002 San Miguel Stakes (G3) set fractions of :22.78 and :46.57. With jockey Victor Espinoza in the irons, Labamta Babe hunted down the pack on the outside, made a bold move three-wide to grab the lead at the top of the stretch, and held off a former classic starter Easy Grades by a length at the wire. Popular held for third, 2 1/2 lengths back. Labamta Babe covered the 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:42.65.

Trained by Bobby Frankel, Labamta Babe, a four-year-old son of Stone Farm, sire Skywalker, has three wins and four placings in 11 career starts. He finished third in the 2001 Hollywood Prevue Stakes (G3) and fourth in the Hollywood Futurity (G1) before capturing the Santa Catalina. He has lifetime earnings of $204,580.

Bred in Kentucky by Arthur B. Hancock III and Oak Cliff Stable, Labamta Babe is one of five winners from six starters for the Argentine Group 1-winning Liloy (Fr) mare Bambina Linda (Arg). She is a full sister to Argentine Group 1 winner Bonete and a half sister to Argentine Group 1 winner Bambou.

 

 

12/7 - STONE FARM ranked Number 1 by the Thoroughbred Times in Graded SW from starters ( 3.81%) and Number 8 overall. Each year the Thoroughbred Times ranks farms according to sucess in several different categories. This year Stoen Farm ranked 1st in percentage of graded stakewinners from starters. Overall, the farm is ranked 8th, above Three Chimneys, Adena Springs, Brookdale Vinery, Airdrie, Walmac Darby Dan Jonabel, Pin Oak, Mill Ridge and Ashford.

 

 

Stone Farm broodmare Loose Park is now 3 for 3 as homebred Torre and Zim, 1/2 brother to CHAMROUSSE, breaks his maiden impressively at Belmont Park in his first start. A colt by Elusive Quality, Torre and Zim is trained by Richard E. Dutrow, Jr. He is named after New York Yankees manager Joe Torre and coach Don Zimmer. Torre and Zim is the third foal to race, all winners, out of the winning Stop the Music mare Loose Park. Loose Park had a yearling colt by Skywalker sell this fall and she currently has a weanling filly also by Skywalker. She is not in foal for 2003.

 

11/6 - BLESS, Full sister to FUSAICHI PEGASUS consigned by Stone Farm tops Keeneland November Sale selling for $4 million.

The high point of the sale came when Bless, a full sister to Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, sold for $4 million to ClassicStar LLC. Bless, a 3-year-old unraced daughter of Mr. Prospector, is in foal to Storm Cat. She is a large, attactive mare and did not race due to a knee injury as a foal. She was purchased by David Plummer of ClassicStar.

ClassicStar is a partnership between Plummer, John Parrott, Thom Robinson, and Tony Ferguson, the four major shareholders in Gastar Exploration, Ltd., a natural gas exploration and distribution company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

“They told me that if I bought the mare, I got four tickets to a Texans game,” Plummer quipped after signing the ticket. Stonerside owners Robert and Janice McNair are principal owners of the National Football League’s Houston Texans franchise. “We waited all day for her. We thought she was the best mare in the sale, and we knew she wasn’t going to be cheap. You have to do your best and keep going on that kind of mare.”

 

OWSLEY: Not even a hurricane can stop her from winning the WinStar Galaxy (G2T) at Keeneland. Stone Farm homebred and owned OWSLEY, by Harlan out of the Sham mare Insipid , attacked late to prevail in her third graded stakes win of the year with a rallying victory in the $544,500 WinStar Galaxy Stakes (G2) at Keeneland Race Course.

When asked if the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) was next for Hancock's homebred filly, trainer Randy Schulhofer responded, "It looks that way."

With jockey Edgar Prado aboard, Owsley raced last in the field of six down the backstretch over the Keeneland turf course. Owsley pushed between foes around the turn and angled toward the rail in the stretch drive to prevail in the 1 3/16 event over a yielding turf course. Prior to her Galaxy victory, OWSLEY won the New York Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park in July. She entered the WinStar Galaxy following a win in the Glens Falls Handicap (G3) at Saratoga Race Course on August 26. The four-year-old daughter of Harlan earned $337,590 for the win to increase her career earnings to $723,961..

"It is a great thrill to win here at Keeneland," said Hancock, who owns Stone Farm near Paris, Kentucky. "She is named for Owsley County [in Kentucky]. Edgar Prado did such a great job and Randy [Schulhofer, the trainer] had her looking so good. T hey just did a magnificent job."

Owsley is out of the Sham mare Insipid, a member of the Stone Farm broodmare band, and is a half sister to stakes winners Dr. Ramsey and Addinson. She is from the immediate family of Grade 1 winner and sire Dixie Brass, Grade 2 winner and sire Megaturn, and Grade 2 winner and sire Odyle. Her own sire Harlan stood at Stone Farm until his untimely death. Insipid foaled a filly by Old Trieste this spring but did not get back in foal for 2003.

 

 

Stone Farm broodmare Loose Park is now 3 for 3 as homebred Torre and Zim, 1/2 brother to CHAMROUSSE, breaks his maiden impressively at Belmont Park in his first start. A colt by Elusive Quality, Torre and Zim is trained by Richard E. Dutrow, Jr. He is named after New York Yankees manager Joe Torre and coach Don Zimmer. Torre and Zim is the third foal to race, all winners, out of the winning Stop the Music mare Loose Park. Loose Park had a yearling colt by Skywalker sell this fall and she currenntly has a weanling filly also by Skywalker. She is not in foal for 2003.

 

HIGH IDEAL, Dkbbr. c. 4 (Skywalker—Risen Angel, by Risen Star), won the My Mac H. at Calder Race Course to become the 39th stakes winner for his sire, SKYWALKER. He added $22,617 to his bankroll bringing his earnings to just under $175,000. High Ideal, who had placed in four previous stakes races rallied from fifth place, moving three wide to draw even with Pay the Preacher on the far turn. He put a head in front entering the stretch and was drawing away at the finish. High Ideal is the first stakes winner from five foals to race out of the unraced Risen Star mare Risen Angel.

 

 

Stone Farm raised and sold E.DUBAI will stand at Darley/Jonabell after his retirement...

Godolphin Racing’s E Dubai, purchased from Stone Farm as a yearling for $350,000, will retire following his four year-old campaign and will stand the 2003 breeding season at Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Jonabell Farm in Lexington. Winner of this year’s Suburban Handicap (G2) and last year’s Dwyer Stakes (G2), the son of Mr. Prospector out of the stakes-winning Lord At War (Arg) mare Words of War was withdrawn from consideration for a start in the Woodward Stakes (G1) at Belmont due to a bruised hoof and is now pointed to the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) on September 28. As a three-year-old last year, E Dubai won the Dwyer and finished second in the Peter Pan Stakes (G2); the Travers Stakes (G1) behind 2001 Horse of the Year Point Given; and the Super Derby (G1) at Louisiana Downs.

"I cannot think of another horse who could be considered a legitimate threat for the Breeder's Cup Sprint, Breeder's Cup Mile, and the Breeder's Cup Classic (all grade I). He is a beautifully-balanced, brilliantly-fast and extremely versatile athlete and has all the gears plus a great pedigree," said Jimmy Bell who will manage the stallion for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum.

E. Dubai has five wins and three seconds in ten career starts over three seasons of racing and earnings of $920,800.

 

Owsley prevails in the Glens Falls (G3) with grit and determination...

Arthur B. Hancock III's home bred filly OWSLEY dug in to held off Mot Juste for a one-length victory in the $113,500 Glens Falls Handicap (G3) for fillies and mares at 11 furlongs on a yielding inner turf course at Saratoga. It was the only one of four scheduled turf races not switched to the main track and was run with the portable rail moved about 9 feet out.

"This is very special, I will remember this for a long time" said trainer Randy Schulhofer of his first Saratoga stakes win. Owsley also gave him his first stakes winner on July 4 when she won the grade II New York Handicap by a neck at Belmont Park. Schulhofer took over the racing operation from his father Flint "Scotty" Schulhofer when he retired at the end of last year.

Owsley, a 4-year-old Harlan filly, went outside with jockey Edgar Prado: "I felt like there was a little bit of speed in the race, not much really," Prado said. "I broke and tried to settle in behind the first pack, but they were slowing down and my filly was in the bit. After she started to control the pace, she started to relax a little better. She left me something for the end. She was very game."

Owsley has now won six of 16 career starts, including the New York Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park on July 4, and has earned $386,371 for owner-breeder Arthur B. Hancock III. “I think now we’re going to sit back, enjoy the moment, and see what options are out there for us,” said Schulhofer.

Out of the placed Stone Farm mare Insipid by Sham, Owsley is a half sister to multiple stakes-winning steeplechasers Dr. Ramsey and Addinson. Her sire Harlan stood at Stone Farm until his untimely death. Her dam, Insipid foaled a filly by Old Trieste this spring but did not get back in foal for 2003.

 

DUBLINO gets even in the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks G1 ...

DUBLINO (Lear Fan out of Stone Farm's Tuscoga by Theatrical [Ire]) may have lost to Megahertz (GB) via disqualification in the American Invitational Oaks in early July, but she got even on 8/24 in the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks (G1). DUBLINO, trained by Laura de Seroux won by just a nose, but her number one position was official this time. She earned not only the win but the Grade 1 credit and more than doubled her earnings with the winner's share, now standing at $304,011 from 4-2-2-0 career starts. Jockey Kent Desormeaux was back in the irons for the nine-furlong firm turf event. DUBLINO is owned by Geringer, Klein, Liberty Road Stables, et al. Gene Klein’s son Michael and grandson Adam assure their silks will continue to be seen well into the 21st century. Michael, 55, and Adam, 23, were two of the most excited members of a large entourage in the winner’s circle on August 24.

"We’re back in town," said majority owner Michael Klein, "We’re starting a little bit of a legacy again. It’s a chilling and thrilling experience to win in our own silks."

Beside the American Oaks, the dark bay filly placed second in the Prix de la Grotte (Fr-G3) in France before shipping to the United States. Bred by Arthur B. Hancock III in Kentucky, she sold at the 2000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $180,000. She is the third and most successful foal out of Tuscoga (Theatrical [Ire]), who has an unnamed yearling colt by Pulpit purchased at Saratoga this August for $400,000 by Live Oak Plantation. Tuscoga is in foal to Menifee for 2003.

Dublino could be one of Laura de Seroux’s candidates for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Arlington Park. Another option might be the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) on October 12 at Keeneland Race Course.

DUBLINO invited to the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1) on October 12 at Keeneland....

She will probably meet arch rival Megahertz again. Based on the first two match ups, it should be a thrilling race

"This filly nearly beat Sophisticat at a mile this year, so I think any part of the middle distances is no problem for her because she will follow any pace and she has an amazing turn of foot," explained de Seroux. "Dublino has only run four times in her life, and she has a big future next year. And she has no holes in her. She's got a great mind, she's very sound, she's well-made. She's just 100%."

 

 

A spring and summer studded with Stakes Horses for Stone Farm…

CHAMROUSSE led off with an easy win in the Black-Eyed Susan S. (G2) on Preakness day. CHAMROUSSE, a 1999 filly by PEAKS AND VALLEYS out of the Stone Farm mare LOOSE PARK, has never finished off the board in seven starts, while earning $289,465 for owner/breeder Arthur Hancock III and co- owner James Stone. "Her consistency is one of her best characteristics," said trainer Niall O’Callaghan. "She’s always willing to do the job, whether or not I have her in the right spot."

CHAMROUSSSE was appropriately named after a ski resort near Grenoble, France.

OWSLEY a 4 year old filly by HARLAN out INSIPID, owned by Arthur B. Hancock, III, followed right along with an exciting 4th of July win in the $250,000 New York Handicap (G2) at Belmont to raise her earnings to $359,271. "Before the eighth-pole, I was beside myself," said trainer Randy Schulhofer, son of Racing Hall of Fame trainer "Scotty" Schulhofer. "I had my head buried until she got out." "I pretty much had cover the whole way," said jockey Edgar Prado . "It was a little tight at the top of the stretch and I didn’t have much room. We had traffic through the stretch drive and I was like, ‘Come on, guys, let me out.’ Once she was clear, she really kicked in."

Like other Stone Farm raised/owned Harlans', Owsley is named after a county in Kentucky.

E. DUBAI a 4 year old colt by Mr. Prospector out of the Lord at War mare Words of War, was raised at Stone farm, bred Arthur B. Hancock III & Stonerside Stable Ltd. (KY), and purchased for $350,000 by Godolphin Racing, Inc. He went wire to wire to win the SUBURBAN H. (G2) at Belmont Park on July 6 defeating (G1) SW Macho Uno by 1 ¾ lengths. E. Dubai made his seasonal bow in the Suburban following a three-year-old campaign that included a win in the Dwyer Stakes (G2) and second-place finishes in the Travers Stakes (G1), Super Derby (G1), and Peter Pan Stakes (G2). E. DUBAI is currently recovering from a bruised heel.

DUBLINO, a 3 year old filly by LEAR FAN out of Stone Farm mare TUSCOGA has also not disappointed, having been on the board in all her starts in France including a 2nd in the Prix de la Grotte [G3], behind Sophisticat (Storm Cat x Serena's Song). In her first US start she crossed the finish line first in the American Oaks (L) at Hollywood Park also on July 6th was placed second after an inquiry. She was offered at Keeneland September and purchased for S180,000. She is owned by Klein, Liberty Road Stables and San Gabriel Investments and trained by Laura De Seroux.

 

 

 

WAGON LIMIT colt tops OBS Second Open Session...

A colt named SO ACCURATE brought $55,000 to top the second open session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2002 August Yearling Sale . From the first crop of his sire, the gray colt is out of the winning Darn That Alarm mare So Ritzy, who is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Race Artist. Consigned by T-Square Stud, agent, as Hip No. 710, So Accurate sold to Mark Casse, agent. This was on a day when the average was $10,206 and the median was $6,000.

 

Wagon Limit Following Pattern of Sire Success

Stone Farm stallion WAGON LIMIT, winner of the 1998 Jockey Club Gold Cup-G1 over subsequent Horse of the Year Skip Away and the sire of his first crop of yearlings, is following a pattern of success as a sire. While it will be another year before his first foals hit the racetrack, the success of a similarly-bred stallion, Marquetry, could be a good indicator of what may be in store for WAGON LIMIT. A young sire, Marquetry has had two Breeders' Cup winners in the last three years.

Both WAGON LIMIT and Marquetry are by sire of sires Conquistador Cielo and the two are both G1 stakes winners at 1 1/4 miles, but the similarities don't end there. WAGON LIMIT won at distances ranging from six to 10 furlongs and Marquetry won at distances from six and a half to 10 furlongs. Both averaged 100+ Beyer Speed Figures in graded races, with WAGON LIMIT's highest Beyer at 118 and Marquetry's highest at 119. In addition, Marquetry's 2001 comparable index was 1.38, while WAGON LIMIT's was 2.06 (indicating WAGON LIMIT got slightly better mares) although he stands for a third of Marquetry's current fee.

WAGON LIMIT's second crop of foals is arriving now.

 

 

Skywalker Sire of Early Derby Contender

Skywalker, winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic and sire of 20% stakes horses from starters, is the sire of one of the hottest new prospects looming on the Kentucky Derby-G1 trail in 2002. His 3-year-old, LABAMTA BABE, handily upset the early Derby favorite, Siphonic, in the $150,000 Santa Catalina S.-G2 at Santa Anita on January 19. Labamta Babe cruised under the wire 5 1/2 lengths better than the rest of the field, earning a 104 Beyer Speed Figure. The 3-year-old colt was bred in Kentucky by Stone Farm's Arthur Hancock III and Oak Cliff Stable.

Labamta Babe's trainer, Bobby Frankel, has indicated the colt will have two more prep races leading to the Kentucky Derby. Frankel is tentatively scheduling his next start in either Gulfstream Park's Florida Derby-G1 on March 16 or Santa Anita's San Felipe S.-G2 on March 17.

 

 

Three 3 YO January Stakes Horses for Skywalker

Stone Farm stallion Skywalker has gotten 2002 off to a strong start with three 3-year-old stakes horses in the month of January. He began the year with No Turbulence placing third in the Santa Ysabel S.-G3 at Santa Anita on Jan. 6 and followed that up with Labamta Babe's spectacular win in the Santa Catalina S.-G2 on Jan. 19, also at Santa Anita. Finally, Sky Terrace narrowly missed victory by a nose in the Jan. 26 LeComte S. at Fair Grounds. Both the Santa Catalina and the LeComte are regular stops on the Kentucky Derby-G1 trail and the Santa Ysabel is on the road to the Kentucky Oaks-G1 for fillies.

In addition, Skywalker has had five individual winners the week of Jan. 19-26.

Arthur B. Hancock III   --   200 Stoney Point Road, Paris, Kentucky 40361
Tel: (859) 987-3737   Fax: (859) 987-1474   E-mail: stonefarm@stonefarm.com