8/3/08 - COOL COAL MAN, c. 3 Mineshaft - Coral Sea, by Rubiano ran a good third in the Haskell G1 behind Big Brown and stable mate Coal Play. Early this year he scored convincingly in the Fountain of Youth (G2). Most recently he won the Spend a Buck Stakes at Monmouth. He was prepared for racing and offered by Kip Elser at Calder 2007. He is owned by Robert V. LaPenta and was bred by W. S. Farrish and the E. J. Hudson Jr. Irrecovable Trust et al.
Lifetime: 11-5-1-1 $449,531
8/2/08 - It was quite a day at tracks across the country for Kirkwood prepared horses! In the north, AKRONISM, f. 4, Not For Love - Jerry Bomb, by Explosive Bid scored in the ROYAL NORTH S. (Can-G3) for owner/breeder Robert S. Evans. Akronism is trained by Tim Ritchey. She zipped 6 furlongs on the turf in 1:07 and change and has now earned $431,496 . She has pushed her earnings to $122,209.
Down the road at Saratoga, SW SWEET HOPE, f. 3, Lemon Drop Kid - High Heeled Hope by Salt Lake ran second in the TEST (G1) behind Indian Blessing. She is owned by High Bank Syndicate and was bred by Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate Inc. (Ky.). Her trainer is J. Larry Jones.
Farther south still, at Monmouth, Sky Haven, f. 2 Sky Mesa- Shouldn't We All by Woodman ran second in the COLLEEN S. in her second start. She is owned by Elite Racing Partners LLC and was bred by B: Daniel M Ryan. She is trained by Steve Asmussen.
In the middle of the country at Arlington Park, , Lemon Spice, c. 3, Langfuhr - Lemon Haze by Distant View won an allowance race for owner/breeder Mt Joy Stables. He is trained by Dallas Stewart.
7/27/08 - Kirkwood prepared You and I Forever c. 3, A.P. Indy - You, by You and I ran a good second in the HENRY WALTON S. at Saratoga for owner/breeder Edmund A. Gann and trainer William I. Mott. He lost by a neck and was over 12 lengths ahead of the third horse.
7/26/08 - Kirkwood prepared Dynaforce m. 5, Dynaformer - Aletta Maria, by Diesis (GB) was recently returned to the US from France. First she rewarded her owner/breeder Dr. John A. Chandler (Ky.) with a second in the NEW YORK S. (G2) at Belmont Park. She was gaining on the winner and lost by a short neck. Most recently she was second in the Diana G1 at Saratoga. This mare has been off the board only once in her career.
Lifetime:9 -3-3-2 $251,505
7/16/08 - Kirkwood prepared Moral Compass, c, 3 Grand Slam - Affair With Aflair, by Well Decorated ran second in the Oceanside S on opening day at Del Mar. Earlier this year he ran a close third in the BULLEIT BOURBON PALM BEACH S. (G3) going 9 furlongs on the turf. He is owned by
North Shore Racing and was bred by Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate Inc.
Lifetime:11 -2-3 -4 $140,290
July 13, 2008 was a productive day for Kirkwood prepared fillies at DELAWARE PARK
In the million dollar plus DELAWARE H.-GII, Lemon Drop Mom, f, 4, Lemon Drop Kid - Return of Mom, by Deputy Minister ran second for owner-breeder Robert S Evans (KY) and added $200,000 to her bankroll.
Lifetime: 18 6-2-2 $476,945
On the same day, SW AKRONISM, f. 4, Not For Love - Jerry Bomb, by Explosive Bid ran third in the LIGHT HEARTED S. at Delaware Park. Recently she scored in the SKIPAT S. for owner/breeder Robert S. Evans.
lifetime: 19 7-2-3 $343,872
7/2/08 - John Phillips, owner of Darby Dan Farm, is excited to announce that industry veteran Kip Elser of Kirkwood Stables will be joining the team as interim Sales Director. “Kip is a well known, highly respected and experienced horseman who has purchased, prepped and consigned thousands of horses throughout his distinguished career. We are thrilled to be formally associated with Kip,” stated Phillips. Mr. Elser’s position with Darby Dan is in addition to Kirkwood Stable’s ongoing yearling-breaking and two year old pinhooking and sales ventures.
I have worked with Darby Dan in various capacities for nearly two decades,” notes Mr. Elser, “this is a comfortable fit for me and a great opportunity to be closely involved with one of the legacy farms of the Bluegrass. Darby Dan has a great team in place and I look forward to being a part of it.”
6/22/08 - Kirkland prepared and sold SWEET HOPE, f. 3, Lemon Drop Kid - High Heeled Hope by
Salt Lake won the BEAUTIFUL DAY S. at Delaware Park zipping 6furlongs in 1:09.47. She is owned by High Bank Syndicate and was bred by Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate Inc. (Ky.). Her trainer is J. Larry Jones.
Lifetime: 10-3-0-2, $72,209.
She was a
$320,000 2007 KEEAPR purchase.
6/210/08 - Kirkwood prepared Dynaforce m. 5, Dynaformer - Aletta Maria, by Diesis (GB) was recently returned to the US from France. She rewarded her owner/breeder Dr. John A. Chandler (Ky.) with a second in the NEW YORK S. (G2) at Belmont Park. She was gaining on the winner and lost by a short neck.
6/14/08 - Was a good day at the races for KIRKWOOD Grads.
In the Spend a Buck Stakes, one of Monmouth's prep races for the $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1) on Aug. 3, Robert LaPenta's Cool Coal Man regained his winning ways, out dueling Atoned through the stretch for a hard-fought neck victory.
The winner, trained by Nick Zito and ridden by Eddie Castro, raced the mile and 70 yards over a fast track in 1:41 4/5 and returned $3.60, $2.20 and $2.10 across the board as the 4-5 favorite in the field of five 3-year-olds.
Atoned, second choice at 6-5, paid $2.40 and $2.20 and completed the $5.40 exacta. Chirac held third, nearly six lengths behind the top pair, and paid $2.80 to show.
This was the first win for Cool Coal Man since he took the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park in February. After that, he was a well-beaten ninth in the Blue Grass Stakes and then ran a dismal 15th in the Kentucky Derby.
This was the fifth lifetime win in 10 starts for Cool Coal Man, a bay son of Mineshaft. Even though it was a dry racetrack, the colt wore front mud caulks.
Cobra Strike set all the early pace, with Cool Coal Man sitting to his outside and Atoned content to follow along the rail. At the quarter pole, the winner made his move to the lead. At the same time, Atoned gunned up along the inside. The two hooked up in early stretch and dueled to the wire, with Cool Coal Man proving best.
"He broke sharply out of the gate and got good early position," said Castro, who was aboard for the first time. "I just kept him on the outside in the clear because I didn't want to get in any trouble. I sat with him down the backside and waited. When I asked him, he just exploded, and then stayed tough through the lane."
Lifetime: 10 5-1 $349,531
At Colonial Downs, Kirkwood prepared True Blue Fingers, g. 3, Van Nistelrooy - Boltin' Bride by Runaway Groom was second in the John D Marsh S. He is owned by Eric Fein and was bred by Anne N Tucker & Deborah A Easter.
Lifetime: 14 1-2-1 $32,003
6/12/08 - Kirkwood sales graduate SKY HAVEN, f. 2, Sky Mesa - Shouldn't We All by Woodman, who was purchased for $150,000 at KEEAPR ( hip 58 ),was bet down to 3-5 in this four-horse field. The filly ducked in a bit at the start, but recovered to race in second. She took over turning for home and drew off to post a seven-length debut success. She is owned by Elite Racing Company, was bred by Daniel M Ryan (PA), and is trained by Steven M Asmussen.
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $30,000.
6/6/08 - Moral Compass c. 3, Grand Slam - Affair With Aflair, by Well Decorated ran third in the HILL PRINCE S. (G3) at Belmont Park going a flat mile on the turf in 1:35.03. Bred by Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate Inc. ,he was prepared by Kirkwood for owner North Shore Racing, (Ky.).
Lifetime: 10 2-2-4 $123,030
5/31/08 - Kirkwood preparedSmooth Air glides to clear victory in Ohio Derby at Thistledown
Courtesy of the Thoroughbred Times Today
Mike Curry
Hutcheson Stakes (G2) winner Smooth Air powered past Cherokee Artist in early stretch and surged clear to a convincing four-length win in the $300,000 Ohio
Derby (G2) on Saturday at Thistledown.
The Smooth Jazz colt rebounded
strongly from an unplaced finish on
May 3 at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky
Derby Presented by Yum! Brands
(G1), in which Smooth Air broke in the
air and was steadied twice in the early stages of the 11⁄4-mile classic.
“If somebody said last year that we’d go to the Kentucky Derby,
then win the Ohio Derby, I’d have told them they were crazy,” winning
trainer Bennie Stutts Jr. said. “This is the proudest of my life.”
Mount Joy Stables’ Smooth Air settled into an ideal stalking position
under Manoel Cruz in the 11⁄8-mile Ohio Derby as Celtic Meal set
a solid pace through an opening quarter in :22.52 and a half-mile in
:46.34. Cherokee Artist was positioned in second by Jeremy Rose on
the backstretch with Smooth Air racing comfortably in third as the
field bunched up approaching the final turn. Cherokee Artist quickly
overpowered the fading pacesetter on the turn and seized command
approaching the stretch as Smooth Air hit his best stride and Grade
3 winner Z Fortune rallied into contention.
Smooth Air accelerated smoothly in the stretch and drove past runner-
up Cherokee Artist with a visually impressive turn of foot. He built
a clear advantage at the eighth pole and streaked to a comfortable win
in 1:50.26 on a track rated as fast.
He pushed his earnings to $575,500.
5/19/08 - Grade 2 winner and Kirkwood prepared Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz) breezed one-mile in 1:45.80 on Sunday in preparation for the $300,000 Ohio Derby (G2) on May 31 at Thistledown.
Trained by Bennie Stutts Jr., Smooth Air finished 11th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) on May 3 after a runner-up finish to Derby winner Big Brown (Boundary) in the Florida Derby (G1) on March 29 at Gulfstream Park.
The bay colt is scheduled to be shipped to Arlington Park today to continue preparations for the 11⁄8-mile Ohio Derby prior to being shipped to Thistledown.
A Mount Joy Stables homebred, Smooth Air won the Hutcheson Stakes (G2) in his sophomore debut on January 5 at Gulfstream. Churchill Downs
5/17/08 -On Preakness day, STEVIL ran a creditable 5th to BIG BROWN but two other Kirkwood prepared horses won stakes on the same day for owner/breeder Robert S. Evans, one at Pimlico. AKRONISM, f. 4, Not For Love - Jerry Bomb, by Explosive Bid scored in the SKIPAT S. for owner/breeder Robert S. Evans. She zipped 6 furlongs in a very spritely 1:09.76.
Lifetime: 17-7-2-2, $328,372
Up the road at Delaware Park,
LEMON DROP MOM, f. 4, Lemon Drop Kid - Return of Mom, by
Deputy Minister won the WINTER MELODY S. Both fillies are trained by Timothy F. Ritchey.
Lifetime: 16-6-1-1, $260,445.
5/16/08 -SW SIR WHIMSEY, prepared by Kirkwood Stables, ran third in the PIMPLICO SPECIAL G1. Last out he was third in the G3 Ben Ali S. at Keeneland. He is a homebred for Chance Farm, Va. Before that, he scored a game win in the Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2).
Lifetime: 15-4-3-3, $398,543.
5/13/08 - Kirkwood prepared STEVIL a roan son of Maria’s Mon, left a solid impression in his final workout at Churchill Downs the morning of May 13, breezing four furlongs in :47.80 under exercise rider Megan Smillie over a fast surface. It was the sixth-fastest work of 61 runners at the distance.
“It was pretty nice, and he galloped out real nice,’’ said trainer Nick Zito, who will be saddling his 19th Preakness starter, a number that ties him for second all-time with the legendary Max Hirsch. Only D. Wayne Lukas (32) has run more horses in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.
“He’s a very consistent horse, and hopefully he’ll run well Saturday,’’ said Zito, who collected fourth-place money in last year’s Preakness with C P West. Zito won the 1996 Preakness with Louis Quatorze, who shares the official record for the 1-3/16-mile stakes with Tank’s Prospect and last year’s winner, Curlin (1:53 2/5).
John Velazquez, the regular rider for trainer Todd Pletcher, has the mount for the first time on the Robert LaPenta-owned colt. Stevil was scheduled to arrive by van later May 13.
“We’re ready. He’s been running good all winter,” Zito said.
4/20/08 -SW SIR WHIMSEY, prepared by Kirkwood Stables, ran third in the G3 Ben Ali S at Keeneland. He is a homebred for Chance Farm, Va. In his last out he scored a game win in the Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2).
Lifetime: 14-4-3-2, $371,043.
4/8/08 - Kirkwood sold hip 45, a colt by Aldebaron out of Propriety by Storm Cat , to B. Wayne Hughes for $675,000, the second high price of the evening, at the Keeneland April Two Year Olds in Training Sale. The handsome colt had the co fastest quarter mile work in the breeze show going in an impressive 20.2. (CLICK TO VIEW VIDEO) . He is a full brother to grade 1 stakes placed winner Grace Anatomy.
PHOTO BY MATHEA KELLY
PHOTO BY MATT GOINS
4/9/08 - Kirkland sold a handsome Dynaformer colt to Zayat Racing, LLC for $500,000. The colt zipped a quarter in 21.2
.
COURTESY OF THE TDN
With only three hips left to go through the ring, an
attractive colt by Dynaformer reeled in a $500,000 final
bid from Zayat Stables yesterday. In the absence of
Zayat primary Ahmed Zayat, trainer Bill Mott handled
the bidding duties. "I didn't buy it; all I've got is a pen,"
joked Mott, adding, "I thought he was very special. He
was just a very nice horse; a very refined Dynaformer.
Some of them tend to be a little coarse, but I thought
he was somewhere in between. He was big and strong,but he was smooth enough and had a lot of quality."
According to Mott, he will join his string in New York shortly. A $260,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, the Apr. 14 foal was offered by Kip Elser's Kirkwood Stables. AWe thought he would bring somewhere around what he brought," said Elser. "Mentally, he is very solid and businesslike; a real professional." The colt is out of nine-year-old Biscayne Bay (A.P. Indy), a daughter of champion two-year-old filly Flanders, making her a half sister to champion three-yearold filly Surfside and stakes-placed Flanders Fields.
"He"s a horse that you don't ordinarily see at a twoyear- old sale," explained Elser. "He's by a horse that gets top-class runners going long, out of a young mare that gets top-class runners going long, and out of a great Overbrook family." During Monday's breeze session, the bay stopped the timer in :21.2 for a quarter of a mile."He didn't work as fast as some here, but he acted like a horse who wants to go long and be a good three-year-old next year." With a slew of outstanding dirt performers, including Kentucky Derby hero Barbaro, Dynaformer is also responsible for English champion sophomore filly Ocean Silk. "He will go over anything
you put him on," Elser said. "I had him over dirt, turf and Polytrack, and he's been very good over all three."
Cumulative Top 5 Consignors at the KEENELAND APRIL TWO YEAR OLDS IN TRAINING SALE
Consignor
# Head
Total
Niall Brennan Stables
13
3,595,000
Eddie Woods
9
2,065,000
Kirkwood Stables
13
2,011,000
Wavertree Stables, Inc.
9
1,965,000
Leprechaun Racing
7
1,283,000
3/29/08 - Kirkwood prepared SW SMOOTH AIR , c. 3 by Smooth Jazz colt out of the French Deputy mare Air France, was second behind a tough BIG BROWN in the FLORIDA DERBY (G1) at Gulfstream Park. Earlier he won the Hutcheson Stakes (G2). He is a homebred for Mount Joy Stables Inc.
.Lifetime 7 3-2-2 $395,50
On the same day and at the same track, Kirkwood prepared Moral Compass, c, 3 Grand Slam - ffair With
Aflair, by Well Decorated ran a close third in the BULLEIT BOURBON PALM BEACH S. (G3) going 9 furlongs on the turf. He is owned by
North Shore Racing and was bred by Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate Inc.
Lifetime: 8 1-2-3 $78,330
3/22/08 - Kirkwood Stables prepared VANDERKAAY, c 3. Malibu Moon out of Hen Party by Hennessey ran back to be third in the Private Terms S at Laurel Park. Earlier this year he won a 1 X allowance race at Calder. He is owned by Bowman Thoroughbreds, LLC and was bred by Dr. Frank Justice and Meadow Oaks Farm, LLC.
His record now stands at 8 3-1-2 and he has earned $76,700.
3/15/08 - HIGH BLUES made a four-wide run into the stretch in Saturday's $50,000 Tejano Run Stakes and closed quickly to win by 1 3/4 lengths over Self Made Man. Solo Cat was third and the odds-on favorite, Jade's Revenge, faded in the stretch to finish seventh of eight. High Blues, a 5-year-old, Kentucky-bred ridgling by High Yield, ran the 9 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:51.71 with James Lopez up.
3/11/08 - Kirkwood prepared Smooth Air stays firmly on the Derby Trail - works a Mile for Florida Derby:
Mount Joy Stables' Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz), who is being pointed toward the $1-million GI Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park Mar. 29, worked a mile Sunday morning at Calder for trainer Bennie Stutts, Jr. Posting his second straight one-mile breeze, the Jan. 5 GII Hutcheson S. winner stopped the clock in 1:45 3/5
under jockey Manny Cruz.
3/9/08 - Kirkwood prepared Larrys Revenge, c, 3, Vindication - Carsonality,by Carson City ran third in the GothamS. (G3) thus joining Kirkwood prepared Cool Coal Man and Smooth Air on the Derby Trail. He is owned by Robert V LaPenta.
Lifetime:
6 1-0-3 $60,560
3/1/08 - Sir Whimsey earns his first stakes win in the $343,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2).
Sir Whimsey seized command approaching the stretch and gamely turned back the favorite in the closing strides for a game half -length win. He was prepared by Kirkwood Stables and is a homebred for Chance Farm, Va.
Lifetime: 13-4-3-1, $356,043.
2/24/08 - COOL COAL MAN, c. 3 Mineshaft - Coral Sea, by Rubiano bounded onto the Derby Trail with a game and convincing win in the Fountain of Youth (G2). He was prepared for racing and offered by Kip Elser at Calder 2007. He is owned by Robert V. LaPenta and was bred by W. S. Farrish and the E. J. Hudson Jr. Irrecovable Trust et al. Never worse than fourth, he came three wide at the turn and finished well to score by half a length.
2/9/08 - Kirkwood Stables selected and prepared, SILVER LORD (Unbridled's Song) placed in an impressive finish in Saturday's Mineshaft Handicap (G3) at the Fairgrounds located in New Orleans, LA. Silver Lord stalked the pace as the 3-1 third choice, won a three-way scramble for second and paid $3.40 and $2.60.
Last month, he won the $100,000 Louisiana H. going 1 1/16 miles also at the Fair Grounds.
2/2/08 - Kirkwood Stables prepared VANDERKAAY, c. 3. Malibu Moon out of Hen Party by Hennessey won the DANCING COUNT S. at Laurel Park getting his 6 furlongs on a track rated as good in 1:10 and change. He stalked the pace and came clear at the 1/16 pole to hold sway by 2 3/4 lengths in essentially a hand ride.
Last out, Vanderkaay won a 1 X allowance race at Calder. He is owned by Bowman Thoroughbreds, LLC and was bred by Dr. Frank Justice and Meadow Oaks Farm, LLC.
New Lifetime: 6-3-1-1, $68,600
1/12/08 - SILVER LORD , c. 5, by Unbridled's Song - Whatamiss by Miswaki won the $100,000 Louisiana H. going 1 1/16 miles at the Fair Grounds. He stalked a rival from early in the race and then made a bid outside entering the second turn, caught him turning for home and then reached the wire ahead by 2 lengths. He is owned by Bowman Couch Racing LLC and was bred by Pollock Farms & Taylor Made Farm, Inc. (KY). Now trained by Steve Assmusen, he was selected by Kip Elser as a yearling and was prepared for the races by Kirkwood.
1/5/08 - Kirkwood Stablesprepared SMOOTH AIR, c. 3 by Smooth Jazz colt out of the French Deputy mare Air France, jumped onto the Derby Trail with a very game win in the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park. He is a homebred for Mount Joy Stable.
SMOOTH AIR is based at Calder where he had two stakes placings as a juvenile. Most recently he returned with strong allowance win at the Hutcheson Stakes distance of 7 furlongs. SMOOTH AIR was always in contention in the Hutcheson, but he had to dig deep to wear down a very tenacious Silver Edition almost in the shadow if the wire. He won by a length. He ran the seven furlongs in 1:23.21 on a sealed sloppy main track.
“This horse has improved a lot,” jockey Manoel Cruz said. “He was jumping shadows early in the race, so I had to take him close to the other horses to keep his attention. If he hadn’t done that early in the race, he probably would have beaten that horse by even more.”
Trained by Bennie Stutts Jr., SMOOTH AIR now has to three wins in five starts and pushed his earnings to $165,500. As what' s next, Stutts said, "There are a couple of options to consider, including the Sunshine Millions Dash [Jan. 26 at Santa Anita] and the Sam Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs [Feb. 16]."
Lifetime: 5-3-1-1 $165,500
1/1/08 - Kirkwood Stables prepared VANDERKAAY, c 3. Malibu Moon out of Hen Party by Hennessey ran back to win a 1 X allowance race at Calder. He is owned by Bowman Thoroughbreds, LLC and was bred by Dr. Frank Justice and Meadow Oaks Farm, LLC. The KY bred colt was in contention throughout the race, angled out and was up in deep stretch to win by 3/4 length.
11/30/07 - TAGG VISITS TRF’S WATEREE
Courtesy of the TDN
Trainer Barclay Tagg made a surprise visit to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's Second Chances program at the Wateree River Correctional Facility in Rembert, South Carolina this afternoon, and spent an hour touring the facility and visiting with the inmates who care for the program's 34 equine retirees. The trainer of 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide, Tagg toured the facility, admired the condition of the horses, listened to a description of the course material from corrections officer Tim Amerson, and watched Dr. Reid McClellan, the program's chief instructor, give a roundpen lesson.
"
This program is much more in-depth than I imagined before I got here," Tagg told the inmates, "and you guys will be well-prepared for jobs in the horse business when you complete the course and leave here. There is no reason for anyone who is willing to work and likes horses to ever be without a job."
Kip Elser, president of the South Carolina chapter of the TRF, said that the men were stunned that a person of Tagg's stature in the Thoroughbred industry would pay them a visit. "Several men asked questions and it really gave them a pickup that somebody from the outside would really tell them that they can get a job, that there is something ahead," said Elser.
Wateree is one of seven correctional facilities which have partnered with the TRF to bring groundbreaking vocational programs to the inmates while offering top-quality care for ex-racehorses with no other retirement options. To learn more, visit the TRF's national website at www.trfinc.org or the South Carolina site at www.trfsc.com.
Click TWICE on the green PLAY arrow to listen to Kip Elser's interview on Thoroughbred Racing Radio Network - SIRIUS SPORTS, (Please be patient as Kip's chat starts about 1/4 through the program.)
1/12/08 - SILVER LORD , c. 5, by Unbridled's Song - Whatamiss by Miswaki won the $100,000 Louisiana H. going 1 1/16 miles at the Fair Grounds. He stalked a rival from early in the race and then made a bid outside entering the second turn, caught him turning for home and then reached the wire ahead by 2 lengths. He is owned by Bowman Couch Racing LLC and was bred by Pollock Farms & Taylor Made Farm, Inc. (KY). Now trained by Steve Assmusen, he was selected by Kip Elser as a yearling and was prepared for the races by Kirkwood. 
1/5/08 - Kirkwood Stablesprepared SMOOTH AIR, c. 3 by Smooth Jazz colt out of the French Deputy mare Air France, jumped onto the Derby Trail with a very game win in the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park. He is a homebred for Mount Joy Stable. 