Meanwhile, the 13-times stakes performer Mine Over Matter, a 6yo horse by MINESHAFT, added yet another black-type win to his resume when he came through as the favorite in the 7f Corma Ray S. at Belmont May 9. Mine Over Matter has now won a stakes in three of the last four seasons and has earned over $455,000. Mine Over Matter is a homebred for Chester and Mary Broman, Sr. and is trained by Mike Hushion.

On Apr. 28 at Woodbine, MINESHAFT’s 4yo daughter Starship Universe just missed her first graded score when second by a head in the 6f Whimsical S. Another of MINESHAFT’s 4yo daughters, the G. Watts Humphrey, Jr.-bred Minesave, has also been productive in 2013. The Lane’s End-sold Minesave placed in both the Pippin S. at Oaklawn and the Gold Coast S. and has now earned more than $100,000.

In Saudi Arabia earlier in the season, MINESHAFT’s millionaire Fly Down captured the Crown Prince Cup for the second straight year with a dominating 10 3/4-length score. American fans remember him as the horse who beat GI BC Classic winner Drosselmeyer by six lengths in the G2 Dwyer S. just prior to finishing second in the G1 Belmont S. Fly Down was beaten just a nose in that year’s G1 Travers S. and also finished third in the G1 BC Classic. Fly Down was bred by Broadway Thoroughbreds and Lane’s End and was sold by Lane’s End.

The breeding season’s winding down, but if you’re looking to get to one of A.P. INDY’s best stallion sons, give us a call!

It was the Calumet Farm/Bluegrass Hall homebred Skyring, a 4yo colt from ENGLISH CHANNEL’s first crop, who led every step to win the $300,000 Dixie under Gary Stevens, who would go on to take the Preakness one race later with another Calumet runner in Oxbow. The win came exactly one year after Skyring won his first stakes, the James W. Murphy S., in the same wire-to-wire fashion at Pimlico. The Dixie was Skyring’s first graded tally, and pushed his earnings to $424,148.

Completing the trifecta was the always-tough Optimizer, another Calumet/Bluegrass Hall homebred who won this year’s G3 Fair Grounds H. and G3 Col. E. R. Bradley H. and who was coming in off a runner-up effort to Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the G1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S.

ENGLISH CHANNEL is now the sire of four graded winners and nine stakes winners from his first crop! Among a deep group of third-crop sires, he is:

• #3 sire by cumulative earnings
• #3 sire cumulative stakes winners (9)
• #3 sire by cumulative graded winners (4)
• #3 sire by cumulative graded runners (7)
• #3 sire by cumulative stakes horses (18)

In 2013, meanwhile, ENGLISH CHANNEL the #1 NA third-crop sire by graded winners (3)!

In addition to Skyring and Optimizer, ENGLISH CHANNEL has also been represented this season by:

• Channel Lady, heroine of the G3 Suwannee River S. at Gulfstream. Todd Pletcher trains the 4yo filly for James Scatuorchio and J.J. Pletcher. Channel Lady was bred by Scatuorchio, Kaygar Stable, Wayne Morris and Bluegrass Hal
• Riverboat Queen, a 3yo James Scatuorchio homebred filly who ran a good third in the $90,000 Tweedside S. at Belmont for Todd Pletcher
• Red Wings, a 3yo Calumet/Bluegrass Hall homebred who placed in the Team Valor Rushaway S. at Turfway; he also ran third in the $100,000 Northern Spur S. at Oaklawn
• Star Channel, a 4yo colt owned by GDS Racing Stable and trained by Todd Pletcher who ran second in the Besilu Stables Turf Classic S.
• Satin Gold, 3yo filly who placed in the Spring Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge S. She was bred by Hazel B. Marsh and is owned by Kathy Stephens and Frank Nieschwietz

ENGLISH CHANNEL’s runners also include:

• Strait of Dover, crowned Champion 3-year-old Colt in Canada for 2012 after capturing the $1M Queen’s Plate in record-breaking time
• Blueskiesnrainbows, winner of the 2012 G2 Swap S. and runner-up in the G1 Santa Anita Derby
• Tres Aureole, winner of the 2012 Le Cle S. at Betfair Hollywood Park
• The Pizza Man, a two-time stakes winner and a winner of 7 of 10 lifetime starts
• Sunday Kit, winner of the A. Cemal Kura S. in Europe
• The graded performers Peruvian Lily, English Class, Ann of the Dance, etc.

Looking for a stallion who sires a perfect mix of durability and flat-out raw talent? Call or email Gemma Freeman or Jill McCully to discuss season options for ENGLISH CHANNEL!

In his career, LEMON DROP KID is siring an impressive 11% stakes winners to starters, and is getting stakes runners to starters at a big 20% clip.

The red-hot stable of Gary and Mary West campaign one of LEMON DROP KID’s current standouts in Code West, who could be on track for the G1 Belmont S. after an easy-as-you-please allowance win at Pimlico on Preakness Day. The Bob Baffert-trained colt was beaten a scant nose when runner-up in the G2 Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds earlier in the year. Behind him that day was Preakness winner Oxbow.

Lane’s End Sales sold Code West, offered as part of Edward P. Evans’s Spring Hill Farm dispersal, for $340,000 at the 2011 Keeneland September Sale. Produced by the stakes-winning Saint Ballado mare Charitabledonation, he’s a full-sibling to two-time Grade 2 winner Charitable Man.

LEMON DROP KID’s other big 3yo gun is another owned by the Wests: the Ron Ellis-trained Treasury Bill. A $230,000 yearling acquisition, Treasury Bill was third in Betfair Hollywood Park’s Came Home S. in May after rallying from last to finish second in the G2 San Vicente S. at Santa Anita. Treasury Bill, a $230,000 yearling, was bred by Edward A. Seltzer & Beverly Anderson.

Among older horses, LEMON DROP KID is the sire of the Nutello, third in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club in France last year and winner of the Le Vase D’Argent S. this season. LEMON DROP KID can boast the progressive Pass the Dice, who was second in the G2 Churchill Downs S.; multiple Grade 1 winner Richard’s Kid, three-times graded placed in 2013; Donoharm, winner of the $100,000 Essex H. and $75,000 Fifth Season S. at Oaklawn; and Lime Rickey, runner-up in the Round Table S. at Hollywood in May.

LEMON DROP KID has plenty of up-and-comers, too. His 3yo daughter Precarious broke her maiden in a $75,000 Belmont MSW May 15, while his further recent MSW winners include the likes of Alette and Russkiy Lemon.

Still looking for the right sire for your mare? Call us about the ‘Kid’!

At Keeneland on Apr. 24, his 3yo son Gefest took a nine-furlong allowance race by 2 1/2 lengths in wire-to-wire fashion. Produced by the LEMON DROP KID mare Snow Kid, he is owned by Olympia Star Inc. and trained by Jim Corrigan. Mikhail Yankakov bred Gefest, who earned a 91 BRIS speed rating for the win.

At Belmont Park on Derby Day, William Schettine’s 3yo homebred filly Moonlit Sonnet made it look easy in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special on the turf. Off at 2-1 odds, the Lisa Lisa trainee was up on the pace before powering away to a four-length success in the lane. Moonlit Sonnet was coming off a close-up third at Gulfstream.

Down at Calder May 5, the 3yo filly Expropriate earned her diploma in maiden special going 1 1/16 miles on the main track. Bred by Alexander Schettine and owned by The 3 Maria’s Racing Stable, the Antonio Sano-trained filly rallied four wide and asserted late to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

And last but not least, at Betfair Hollywood Park, the 4yo Et Tu Walker continued his own strong run. The Doug O’Neill-trained ridgling pounced from a stalking perch to win by 1 1/4 lengths in a grassy six-furlong dash Apr. 25. The final time was a smart 1:09 1/5, which earned him a 91 BRIS fig. Owned by O’Neill, Jeff Ho and Gary Margolis, Et Tu Walker was bred by Triple Z Stable. Since joining the O’Neil stable last summer, he’s put together a record of 9-3-3-1.

Have a late-foaling mare? Call us about SHAKESPEARE!

They include:

• REVOLUTIONARY – The Lane’s End-bred 3yo colt who ran third in the G1 Kentucky Derby for WinStar Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher. Previously, Revolutionary, a son of WAR PASS, circled the field to win the $1 million G2 Louisiana Derby Mar. 30., that after he overcame tremendous traffic issues to annex the G3 Gotham S. at Aqueduct. Valera Stable purchased Revolutionary for $80,000 at the 2011 Keeneland September Sale. The colt resold at OBS March for $235,000. Revolutionary was produced by Lane’s End homebred and Grade 1 winner Runup the Colors (A.P. INDY) and is from the immediate family of our Horse of the Year MINESHAFT

• GRAYDAR – 4yo colt established himself as one of the premier horses in the handicap division with wins in the G1 Donn H. (109 Beyer) and G2 New Orleans H. (103 Beyer). Another bred by Lane’s End, Graydar was a member of our 2010 Keeneland September draft. Todd Pletcher trains the colt for Twin Creeks Racing Stables LLC

• SWAGGER JACK – 5yo son of SMART STRIKE showed that he could be a force in the sprinting division this year with a dramatic rallying win in the G1 Carter H. at Aqueduct Apr. 6. Bred by Ned Evans and sold by Lane’s End for $280,000 at the 2009 Keeneland September Sale, Swagger Jack is owned by Silverton Hills and trained by Marty Wolfson

• LAST FULL MEASURE – 5yo mare, a St. George farm homebred, rallied from last to win the G1 Madison S. at Keeneland Apr. 13. Offered by Lane’s End at the 2009 Keeneland September Sale, Last Full Measure is trained by Phil Oliver

• HEAR THE GHOST – 3yo Halo Farms and Jerry Hollendorfer colorbearer unleashed a huge late run to chase down Flashback in the G2 San Felipe S. Mar. 9. Bred by Lane’s End in partnership with Lazy F Ranch, Hear the Ghost, a half to G1SW Mani Bhavan from the family of Speightstown, was a savvy $40,000 pick-up by Hollendorfer at the 2011 Keeneland September Sale

• PALACE MALICE – 3yo colt from the first crop of CURLIN and bred Lane’s End, Palace Malice has placed in both the G1 Blue Grass S. and G2 Risen Star S. for Dogwood Stable and Todd Pletcher

• FED BIZ – 4yo colt, a $950,000 KEESEP grad in 2010, collected his first graded success in the G2 San Fernando S. in January and has since placed in the G1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. and G2 Strub S. Fed Biz was bred by Richard Santulli’s Colts Neck Stables and is trained by Bob Baffert

• LIAISON – 4yo colt from Bob Baffert barn who as a juvenile won the G1 CashCall Futurity for owner Arnold Zetcher. This year, Liaison’s wins include the G2 Mervyn LeRoy H. at Betfair Hollywood Park and Santana Mile at Santa Anita. Bred by the William A. Carl Estate, Liaison was a$290,000 Keeneland September yearling in 2010

• FLY DOWN – 6yo horse, who was beaten just a nose in the G1 Travers S. and was third in that year’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic, won a second straight renewal of the KSA-G2 Crown Prince Cup in Saudi Arabia in January. Fly Down was bred by Lane’s End and Broadway Thoroughbreds and was an $80,000 KEESEP yearling in 2008

• GOCEK – 4yo colt by AFTER MARKET won the G2 Aniversario de la Fundaaion del Jockey Club Peru. Bred by G. Watts Humphrey and Oliver Racing Stable, he was a $15,000 KEESEP yearling in 2010

• SKY KINGDOM – 4yo colt, a $180,000 KEENOV weanling in 2009, wired the field in the G3 Tokyo City H. at Santa Anita while facing a field that included LEMON DROP KID’s MG1SW Richard’s Kid. He was bred by Jim J. FitzGerald

• BATTLE FORCE – 4yo colt, campaigned by Bill Farish’s Woodford Racing, who get his head down over Fed Biz in the Thunder Road S. at Santa Anita for the John Shirreffs barn. Battle Force was bred by Manganaro LLC

• MALEEH – 3yo colt, owned by Shadwell, won off by daylight in the Fred “Cappy” Capossela S. Shadwell paid $350,000 for Maleeh at 2011 KEESEP. Maleeh, an Edward P. Evans-bred son of G1SW Gold Mover, is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin

• AGENT DI NOZZO – 4yo gelding, bred and sold by Lane’s End, rallied from over 14 lengths back to take the $70,000 Borgata S. by 3 1/4 lengths Mar. 23. A $45,000 Keeneland September yearling from Lane’s End in 2010, Agent Di Nozzois owned by Robert & Lawana Low and trained by Steve Margolis

• AMERICAN SUGAR – 3yo filly, a $15,000 KEESEP yearling, dazzled by seven lengths in Oaklawn’s Dixie Belle S. Jan. 20, and more recently won by a head in the $60,000 Goldfinch S. Sold by Lane’s End at the 2011 Keeneland September Sale on behalf of breeder Fares Farm, she won last year’s E.L. Gaylord Memorial S. as a 2yo and also finished third in this season’s G3 Honeybee S.

• Other Lane’s End’s graduates in 2013 include Fusaichiswonderful (bred by Don E. Cain) and Tontona (bred by Palides Investements), both Group 2 winners in Peru.

We thank the breeders, bloodstock agents, trainers and owners who have made this success possible. Good luck at the races!

On the Derby undercard, ENGLISH CHANNEL’s Optimizer lost little in defeat when second to Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the G1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S., while LEMON DROP KID’s Pass the Dice ran second in the G2 Churchill Downs S.

On Friday, A.P. INDY’s son Take Charge Indy romped home by six lengths in the G2 Alysheba S. on the Kentucky Oaks undercard at Churchill.

Out in California, the Lane’s End-sold Liaison, a Grade 1 winner at two, pushed his career earnings past the $720,000 mark with a 1 1/2-length victory over CANDY RIDE (ARG)’s Kettle Corn in the G2 Mervyn Leroy H. at Betfair Hollywood Park.

CANDY RIDE (ARG) himself was represented by a stakes winner on the weekend when the 3yo colt Candy Bites won the Babst/Palacios Memorial H.

There were no fewer than five impressive maiden special weight winners for Lane’s End sires on Derby weekend, all 3yo fillies.

A.P. INDY accounted for two. Darley homebred Sister State, from the immediate family of Bernardini, won at Belmont, while Besilu Stable’s Profetiza, produced by a half-sister to Lane’s End’s G1 Kentucky Oaks heroine Secret Status, graduated at Churchill Downs.

CURLIN got a nice-looking debut winner up at Woodbine. The Gustav Schickedanz homebred Thats Our Princess, making her unveiling in a $65,000 open maiden special going six furlongs, aired by 4 1/4 lengths. (see video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVOKuobX4wI&list=UU0RagnaQvFUM5BJUCIxWKow)

SHAKESPEARE’s Moonlit Sonnet earned her diploma in a two-turn maiden special at Belmont, while LANGFUHR’s Irish Whisper, a daughter of the CITY ZIP mare Tishmeister, asserted by 3 1/2 lengths in a six-furlong Belmont maiden.

Congrats to all the big performers on Derby weekend!

Amid the packing, planning, bickering, and emotional meltdowns (mine), work needed to be done, conference calls to be made (Mark’s), interviews to be conducted, and articles to be written. How, then, in the midst of this crunch time, did we find ourselves one morning strolling through a stallion barn at Lane’s End? How could we possibly have spared a moment for something so … enjoyable?

Call it a much-needed moment of peace in a personal world steeply atilt. Or perhaps the Simons simply wanted to pay their respects to an industry icon before it was too late. Either way, there we were.

Click here to read more: http://www.drf.com/news/catching-ap-indy-still-carrying-himself-champion

AFTER MARKET, whose son Storm Jaguar brought $275,000 at April a year ago and who has since emerged as a young talent in Japan, had several sell well.

They included a colt from a half to G1SW E Z’s Gentleman who made $100,000. Richard Ravin purchased the colt from Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree consignment.

A filly by AFTER MARKET, meanwhile, elicited a bid of $72,000 from Passion Stables. The half to SW Trail This was sold by Off the Hook.

CITY ZIP has seen a number of his good runners go through the ring at April, including last year’s G2 Santa Ynez winner and four-time Grade 1 performer Reneesgotzip, a grad in 2011.

Three CITY ZIP juveniles made six figures at April this year, led by a filly who breezed the co-fastest eighth of the sale in :9 3/5. Consigned by Old South Farm, the daughter of Danse Kongo and half to SP Copy My Swagger was hammered down to David Clark for $200,000.

Another filly by CITY ZIP, a daughter of the winning First to Come Home, herself a half to GSW Z Humor, was purchased by Michael Dubb for $155,000. Eisaman Equine consigned.

Pete Bradley knows a good CITY ZIP when he sees one–his Bradley Thoroughbreds purchased and campaigns CITY ZIP’s Grade 1 winner Dayatthespa–and he saw fit to go to $125,000 for a daughter of SP Lizzie Toon, by Dixieland Band. Consigned by Eddie Woods, the filly is a half to GSW Willy O’the Valley and breezed in an eighth in :9 4/5.

Other juveniles by Lane’s End sires to sell well included:

• $200,000 filly by CANDY RIDE (ARG)–I Love America (buyer: Bloom Racing Stable)
• $150,0000 colt by CURLIN–Silver Bird (John Fort)
• $130,000 filly by MINESHAFT–Rare Elegance (Gary Contessa)
• $125,000 colt by CANDY RIDE (ARG)–Pinta (Donato Lanni)
• $100,000 fill by MINESHAFT-Self Rising (Peacock Ridge)

Good luck to the buyers of all these fine youngsters!

GRADE 1 BLUE GRASS S. ($750,000)
1ST – JAVA’S WAR (LE Sire WAR PASS)
Sold in Utero by Lane’s End

2ND by a neck – PALACE MALICE (LE Sire CURLIN)
Bred & Sold by Lane’s End

GRADE 1 ARKANSAS DERBY ($1,000,000)
1ST – OVERANALYZE (LE Sire DIXIE UNION)

GRADE 1 JENNY WILEY S. ($300k)
1ST – CENTRE COURT (LE Sire SMART STRIKE)

GRADE 1 MADISON S. ($300k)
1ST – LAST FULL MEASURE
Lane’s End Sales Grad

To read trip notes on these races, click here: http://www.drf.com/news/trip-notes-blue-grass-arkansas-derby-and-more

On the same day, SMART STRIKE’s 3yo filly Scarlet Strike earned a well-deserved first graded success with a popular tally in the G3 Providencia S. going nine furlongs over Santa Anita’s lawn. The half-sister to G1SW Visionaire, bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, is owned by John Carver, Jerry Hollendorfer and Green Smith. Impressively, it was Scarlet Strike’s seventh stakes performance in 10 lifetime starts. She has placed in the G1 Chandelier S., G1 Hollywood Starlet S. and G1 Las Virgenes S.

In Florida, SMART STRIKE’s 4yo filly Centre Court made a successful return to the races in the G2 Honey Fox S. at Gulfstream. Beating a very good field, Centre Court was making her first start since winning the G2 Mrs. Revere S. at Churchill last fall. In 2012, she also won the G2 Lake George S. at Saratoga, the G3 Regret S. at Churchill, and placed in the G1 QEII Challenge Cup at Keeneland. Centre Court was bred by the G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and Louise Ireland Humphrey Revocable Trust, and is owned by G. Watts Humphrey Jr. Rusty Arnold trains Centre Court.

SMART STRIKE’s further 2013 stakes performers include the 3yo Dynamic Strike, winner of Laurel’s Miracle Wood S., and the brilliant champion My Miss Aurelia, who took the first steps on her 4yo campaign with a third in the G3 Azeri S. at Oaklawn.

On the sales scene, no juvenile-in-training has sold for more money in 2013 than the $1.8 million that Stonestreet paid for a striking grey son of SMART STRIKE at the OBS March Sale. Consigned by King’s Equine, the colt was bred by Ned Evans and was produced by the Pulpit mare Mini Sermon. At Fasig-Tipton Florida, Nat Rea’s Regis Farm went to $700,000 for a filly by SMART STRIKE out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Music Room, while Katsumi Yoshida paid $300,000 for a colt from the Rahy mare Tejida at the same sale.

Two-time leading sire SMART STRIKE – the best keeps getting better.