BloodHorse Magazine

The 2-year-olds in training sales were devised in the late 1950s as a way to sell horses, typically of lesser pedigree, that were not seen as marketable commercial yearlings. They sold themselves by showing they possessed the athleticism to be successful racehorses. Over time, the 2-year-olds in training market became more sophisticated and, especially since 2000, the quality of the horses being offered more on par with the upper end of the yearling market. Driving many of the changes in juvenile sales has been a steady widening of the gap between the value of horses perceived as the best and the rest. “Today the horse market seems to be: I will give you anything in the world for the right one, and I’m not interested in anything else,” said Tom…

DURING AN EVENING celebrating excellence in North American Thoroughbred racing, a star filly, as expected, was the culminating focus of attention at the 54th annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards ceremony Jan. 23 at The Breakers Palm Beach. Following a near-perfect campaign in 2024, Thorpedo Anna, the brilliant 3-year-old filly of last year, shot to victory as the unanimous choice for champion in that category, and she easily outpolled her counterparts for the most coveted prize in racing: Horse of the Year. The Horse of the Year announcement that came Thursday evening at the posh South Florida hotel was hardly a surprise, but when her name was called as 2024 Horse of the Year by National Thoroughbred Racing Association president and CEO Tom Rooney, it was no less appreciated by those…

An exemplary talent both on the racetrack and in the breeding shed, the Thoroughbred industry suffered a great loss Dec. 19 when it was announced that Coolmore’s Ashford Stud stallion Uncle Mo was euthanized following an injury to his left foreleg. He was 16. “We’re all still in shock,” said Coolmore America manager Dermot Ryan. “He will be greatly missed by everyone here, in particular by his personal groom Rene Macias. He was an exceptional sire both on the racetrack and in the sales ring.” Mike Repole, who owned Uncle Mo throughout his racing career and stayed in on him at stud, stated in a post on X that the stallion had surgery Dec. 18 and that the recovery process was “too much for him to endure.” Ryan thanked both…