2007 News:
08/09/07 - Gato Del Sol, the 1982 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner, was euthanized on Tuesday due the infirmities of old age at Arthur Hancock III’s Stone Farm in Paris, Kentucky.
He was 28.
The *Cougar II horse out of Peacefully, by Jacinto, had been pensioned at the farm since 1999. Gato Del Sol rallied from last in a
field of 19 to win the Kentucky Derby by 2½ lengths at odds of 21.20-to-1, becoming the first Derby winner owned by a member of the Hancock family.
Arthur Hancock’s brother, Seth, is the president of Claiborne Farm in Paris, which won the 1984 Kentucky Derby with Swale.
Arthur Hancock registered another Derby win in 1989 with Sunday
Silence. “He did wonders for me, for Stone Farm, and for my family,” Hancock said of Gato Del Sol on Wednesday. “I went on out on my own in 1972. When he won the Kentucky Derby in 1982, it really validated us and showed people that we could breed and raise not just a good horse, but a heavy hitter. He was all homebred. We had his sire, *Cougar II, and we bought his dam, Peacefully, at [the 1974 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale].”
Hancock and Leone Peters bred and raced Gato Del Sol, who won
the 1981 Del Mar Futurity (G2) for trainer Eddie Gregson. He did not win again in seven starts until his Derby triumph over Laser Light. After bypassing the Preakness Stakes (G1), Gato Del Sol finished second to Conquistador Cielo on a sloppy track in the Belmont Stakes (G1). Gato Del Sol won the Cabrillo Handicap at Del Mar as a four-year-old and finished third to John Henry in the Budweiser Million (G1) at Arlington Park as a five-year-old in 1984. He ended his racing career with a victory in the 1985 Caballero Handicap on the turf at Hollywood Park, retiring with seven wins in 39 career starts and earnings of $1,340,107.
The gray horse stood at Stone Farm from 1986 through 1992, when
he was sold to Gestut Goerlsdorf in Germany. The Hancocks bought
him back and returned him to Stone Farm after the 1999 season.
“He was a great horse to us, and he had a great life,” Hancock said.
In 12 crops of racing age, Gato Del Sol sired two stakes winners
from 87 winners and 135 starters that earned $2,695,819, according
to Jockey Club statistics.—Jeff Lowe
Courtesy of the Thorougbred Times Today
06/11/07- Stephen Foster contender and Stone homebred, Wanderin Boy, gets comfortable at Churchill Downs Grade 2 winner Wanderin Boy got reacquainted with the one-mile track at Churchill Downs on Monday as he galloped 11⁄4 miles under exercise rider Heather Stark in preparation for an expected start in the $750,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) on Saturday.
The six-year-old Seeking the Gold horse was shipped on Sunday from New York to Louisville, where he will try to become the first Stephen Foster winner for both Racing Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito and owner-breeder Arthur Hancock III.
Wanderin Boy enters off a convincing 4 1⁄4-length romp in the Alysheba Stakes (G3) on May 4 on a sloppy main track at Churchill.
“I think his record speaks for itself; he’s a heck of a horse,” Zito
said. “I think he could have a very good year—he’s an amazing
animal.” A four-time graded stakes winner, Wanderin Boy won both the Brooklyn Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G2) and Ben Ali Stakes (G3) last season while compiling a record of four wins, three seconds, and one third from ten starts. He finished second to eventual Horse of the Year Invasor (Arg) in the 2006 Pimlico Special Handicap (G1) and was the runner-up to eventual champion three-year-old male Bernardini in the ’06 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1).
06/09/07- Homebred MERIBEL rallies late to prevail in Foresta Stakes
Grade 3 winner Meribel finished with a fast-closing rush from
the outside to win the $83,500 Foresta Stakes by 11⁄4 lengths as the
1.75-to-1 favorite at Belmont Park on Saturday.
Meribel raced in ninth in the 11-horse field while Flow Chart (UAE)
set the pace through a half-mile in :48.90 in the 11⁄16-mile turf race.
A four-year-old Peaks and Valleys filly, Meribel responded when
roused by jockey Garrett Gomez with a sweeping late move and powered
past four foes in the final furlong to win in 1:41.97 on firm turf.
The victory was the second in three starts this season for Arthur
Hancock III’s and Catesby Clay’s homebred Meribel.
The dark bay or brown filly won the 11⁄16-mile Steal a Kiss Stakes
on May 17 at Belmont Park in her previous start for trainer Christophe
Clement. Meribel finished fourth in the Hollywood Wildcat Breeders’
Cup Handicap in her season debut on April 28 at Calder Race
Course.
Meribel won the Valley View Stakes (G3) on the Polytrack surface
at Keeneland Race Course on October 20.
A half sister to stakes winner Knox, Meribel is out of the winning
Saratoga Six mare Count to Six.
CHAMPION SIRE NORTHERN BABY Dead at 31
Paris, KY – Retired 31-year-old stallion NORTHERN BABY was euthanized due to the infirmities of old age Wednesday at Arthur B Hancock IIII’s Stone Farm. The stallion had stood at the farm from 1982 until he being pensioned in 2001.
Bred by Kinghaven Farm in Canada, NORTHERN BABY (Northern Dancer–Two Rings, by Round Table) was purchased in the name of Horse France for $120,000 at the 1977 Keeneland July yearling sale. Racing for Mme. A. M. D’Estainville and trained by Francois Boutin, NORTHERN BABY placed in the 1979 Epsom Derby. He then won the Champion S. that fall, but by that time Mme. D’Estainville had sold an interest in the colt to Capt. Tim Rogers.
The horse continued racing at four, when he won the Prix Dollar, then was retired to stud for the 1981 season at Airlie Stud in Ireland. He came to Stone Farm for the for the 1982 breeding season.
NORTHERN BABY demonstrated a remarkable range at stud: siring Grade 1-winning 2-year-olds, Classic 3-year-olds, Champion older horses, and ultimately he became renouned as the all-time leading steeplechase sire. Overall, he had eight champions and more than 100 stakes horses in 21 crops. His leading runners include Eclipse Champion Turf Female and six-time Grade 1 stakes winner Possibly Perfect, English Champion 3YO Colt Michelozzo, French Champion 3YO Colts Bairn and Thrill Show, Eclipse Champion Steeplechasers Highland Bud and Warm Spell, and additional Grade 1 winners Live the Dream, Deposit Ticket, Double Wedge, and Rampage.
NORTHERN BABY was buried at Stone Farm.
