Lantern Hill Farm, LLC

By Mike Welsch - www.drf.com

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Ian Wilkes announced that his Grade 1 winner Capt. Candyman Can has been retired following his sixth-place finish in Saturday’s Sir Shackleton Stakes, a race

he’d won here two years earlier.

Capt. Candyman Can, now 7, gave Wilkes the first Grade 1 win of his career when he was placed first on a disqualification in the King’s Bishop at Saratoga in August 2009.

“He bled in the race today, and we don’t want to do anything to hurt this horse,” Wilkes said. “He’s been a lot of fun for us, and he holds a special place in my heart.”

Wilkes said Capt. Candyman Can will return to the racetrack later this year as a stable pony after some time at Starlight Training Center near Churchill Downs.

“We’ll give him a little time off, bring him out to Starlight, and take our time making him into a pony,” Wilkes said. “I won’t rush him. Everyone loves him around the barn, so it will be great to still be able to have him around with us.”

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Photo credit: Adam Coglianese

Thoroughbred Daily News (www.thoroughbreddailynews.com)

Winter Book wins Premian Basin S.

Winter Book indicated that she was one to watch with a runaway debut victory in the Dale Wood S. at Ruidoso Aug. 25. Sent off as the favorite to stay unbeaten here, Winter Book did not disappoint. Breaking sharply, she stalked the pacesetting Christmas Cruise (Corinthian) in the early stages before disposing of that rival rounding the turn. Three-wide entering the stretch, Winter Book maintained her advantage. Christmas Cruise faded to finish last.

Click for the brisnet.com Chart or Video, sponsored by Taylor Made Sales.

Photo Credit: Coady Photography

Fields of Dreams: For Lantern Hill Farm, September sale is 'almost everything'

If the Kentucky Derby is the most exciting two minutes in racing for a horse owner, then the September Yearling Sale at Keeneland might be the most agonizing.

Years of planning and of financial and emotional investment ride on catching the right potential buyer's eye in a few moments in an auction ring.

For most Kentucky horse farms, the goal is not breeding a million-dollar sale topper or a Suzi Shoemaker patted a yearling colt out of Summer Mis by Empire Maker on her Lantern Hill Farm future Derby winner, although they'll take it, said Suzi Shoemaker, owner of Lantern Hill Farm outside Midway.

"Most of us doing this for a living, if we can sell horses and make a little money, we're happy with that," Shoemaker said. "It's not headline-grabbing, but honestly, if you're paying the bills and breeding good horses, you're happy."

Take Hip No. 3142, a filly by Even the Score.

On Thursday, the next-to-last day of Keeneland's mammoth auction, Shoemaker juggles the sellers — Judy and Phil Needham, breeders of Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird and Dullahan, at Barn 21 — and potential buyers in the walking ring inside the race course's sales pavilion.

As the glossy chestnut horse circles the ring, over and over someone swoops down on Shoemaker for another look at her book of veterinary reports on the horses in her consignment. Even at the last second, as the filly walks sedately into the ring and buyers from all over the world zip through the passages around the pavilion, she is wielding her vet book like an enticing tray of appetizers.

With the Needhams hovering nearby, Shoemaker watches the action from "out back," the chutes behind the ring.

"We'll either own her or we won't when it's over," Judy Needham says. She is mum on what reserve price they have set. Shoemaker also has a share in the filly, as she does in many of the horses she will sell.

"We like her pretty well," Needham says of the filly, an indication that if they have to take her back home to race themselves they won't be too unhappy. "You don't mind reserving realistically when you like them."

The price bubbles up above $5,000 ... $10,000 ... $15,000 ... $20,000 ... then stalls at $25,000. The hammer falls, and she is sold.

The Needhams and Shoemaker smile, hug a bit, talk over the sale. There is no wild jubilation but some fatalistic shrugging. Both have seen better, but both have also seen worse.

"We're happy," Shoemaker said afterward. "We made a little money."

For an industry supported by billionaires, this is more the norm. Over the course of an 11-day sale, Keeneland will sell more than 2,500 yearlings, with the great bulk going for less than six figures, let alone seven.

Each one is a grain of sand in the beachhead of the Kentucky Thoroughbred breeding industry, which dominates the world horse market. Although there are larger breeding and selling operations, most are more like Lantern Hill.

"We're very real. A lot of these folks are just folks," Shoemaker said.

"We do it pretty much farm-to-market style — we raise what we sell."

Shoemaker brought 17 yearlings to this year's Keeneland sale; only four failed to find a buyer in the auction ring. The highest-priced, a bay colt by Tiznow, went for $300,000, well above where he had been expected to sell; the lowest, a colt by Cowboy Cal that failed to pass veterinary muster, went for $2,000.

Shoemaker had high hopes for another colt by Kitten's Joy. Like the lucky Tiznow colt, it is closely related to current racing phenom Archwarrior, another Lantern Hill graduate. But he went for only $70,000, a puzzling disappointment.

Overall, September was a success, as Shoemaker defines it.

"I just think if I can get any amount of money for the yearlings and they go on to their new owners for successful racing ... they'll do well," she said.

Her plan is simple: have more ups than downs.

"I used to get very involved in how much I had in a given horse. But honestly it's better to sell a horse at a loss and let it go into someone else's hands," she said. "We're building for the future. ... We hope the person has a successful horse and comes back and buys more."

Shoemaker usually owns her mares for many years, so if a yearling — even one that sells for a relatively modest price — later does well on the racetrack, any future siblings could be worth more, and the value of the mare will rise right along with her babies.

Mares, because of their production possibilities, can become huge assets.

For instance, the most expensive yearling Shoemaker ever sold was Karoush, a colt by Gone West, for $800,000, but the most expensive mare was Divine Dixie for $2 million.

"You think it changes your life, but it doesn't," Shoemaker said. "Yes, it pays your bills, but it just takes a little of the pressure off."

Sometimes, like with a few horses in this year's consignment, things don't go according to plan.

She has taken to the sale beautiful horses that were attracting plenty of potential buyers, only to have them get a cut in the barn overnight or go suddenly lame, knocking them out of the sale.

You can go from the top of the world to the bottom in moments, she says, shaking her head.

"You just have to see it as important but just part of the process. I can only be that philosophical at my advanced age of 56. I used to get so worked up about all the catastrophes, but what I found was that they all worked out. Farming, right?"

For breeders large and small, it is impossible to overstate the importance of success at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. It is by far the biggest auction, attracting the widest range of buyers from dozens of countries across all purchasing levels.

"For us, it's basically the center of our whole year, economically and in terms of the business we'll be doing in the future," Shoemaker said. "Because the money not only pays the current bills, it gives us the money to go forward and buy a new mare in November, pay a stud fee on a new stallion, buy a share in a stallion. ... For this farm, it's almost everything."

Because Lantern Hill also sells foals at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, she has some secondary income there.

"But we sell so few foals, those are like frosting on the cake," she said. "The September Yearling Sale is the cake. It's everything we exist for. It funds the future."

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Janet Patton: (859) 231-3264. Twitter: @janetpattonhl

Published 9/23/2012 in the Lexington Herald - Leader

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/09/23/2347455/fields-of-dreams-for-lantern-hill.html#storylink=cpyRead more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/09/23/2347455/fields-of-dreams-for-lantern-hill.html#storylink=cpy

The Thoroughbred Times (www.thoroughbredtimes.com)

The highly-touted juvenile Archwarrior made his career debut a winning one on Thursday at Saratoga Race Course, taking a maiden special weight event for Alto Racing LLC and trainer Todd Pletcher.

Archwarrior winning MSW at Saratoga

The Arch colt, sent off as the 1-to-4 favorite, was away in third and quickly moved up to second with some urging from jockey John Velazquez, stalking Transparent through opening fractions of :22.33 and :45.09. The colt began to inch up on the leader around the turn, was on even terms entering the stretch, and drew clear while kept to task, winning by 3 ¼ lengths. The final time for the six furlongs was 1:10.07.

"I worked him behind horses, so it's not like he's been on the lead in the mornings," Velazquez said. "I knew that I could rate him. I didn't think he would be on the lead because he's not very quick from the gate. He did everything very, very good.

"No, he's not as fast as [champion Uncle Mo, who Velazquez rode to a Saratoga debut win for Pletcher in 2010]. He is much bigger and heavier than Uncle Mo. Uncle Mo was smaller and faster. Archwarrior is more the type of horse who will really get good when the distances get longer. He's not going to win by ten or 12 lengths, he's not going to open up on the field. He's just kind of steady. He should run all day long."

Archwarrior, a $375,000 purchase at the Ocala Breeders Sales Co.'s two-year-olds in training sale, is out of the graded stakes-placed Seeking the Gold mare Winner's Edge, a half sister to two graded/group stakes winners. The mare has now produced seven winners from ten starters to date, including stakes winners Return to Paradise and Coya, and stakes-placed Capac.

Archwarrior drew attention as he worked steadily for his debut in company with both two-year-olds and Pletcher's older horses, posting several bullet workouts.

"Everything went as smoothly as we hoped it would," Pletcher said. "I thought he ran very well, very professional. He finished up well and galloped out strongly. … We've brought a lot of first-time starters over here over the years, but I've never had so many questions beforehand."

For video of this race, click here.

Photo Credit: NYRA

Lighthouse Group's homebred Halon (Purge-Ablaze, by Forest Camp) broke his maiden by 5 1/4 lengths in his second start at three, a 6 1/2 f. MSW test on the Churchill Downs dirt on June 20. Breaking sharply from the outside post, Halon tracked the early pace under Calvin Borel and assumed command as he turned for home, drawing off to win over favorite Vasten (Speightstown). Trained by Ian Wilkes, Halon was co-bred by Lantern Hill and was offered in our 2010 Keeneland September Yearling Sales consignment, where he was bought back for $6,000, lifetime: 4-1-0-0, $38,812.

PhotoCredit: Reed Palmer

By Jack Shinar (The Blood Horse)
Updated: Saturday, November 19, 2011 8:41 PM

It's a long ways down the road but Sabercat all but locked up a spot in next year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) with an emphatic win in the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (gr. III) for 2-year-olds Nov. 19 in Vinton, La (VIDEO).

Making his graded stakes debut at odds of 8-1, Sabercat pounced on the leaders leaving the final bend and pulled away to a four-length victory under Gerard Melancon. Sabercat, a Kentucky-bred son of Bluegrass Cat , won his third consecutive race since breaking his maiden in his fourth start Sept. 5 at Monmouth Park.

This was considered the most talented field in the nine runnings of the Jackpot, with horses shipping to southwest Louisiana from California, New Jersey, Kentucky, Florida, and Canada. Sabercat banked $600,000 for the victory, which would be more than enough graded earnings to put him in the Derby starting gate next May.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, who recorded his 6,000th lifetime victory a day earlier, Sabercat is owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds. The $120,000 Keeneland yearling served notice in his most previous start, a six-length triumph in the Garden State Stakes at Monmouth Oct. 2.

"It took a few starts for him to come around," owner Ron Winchell told TVG. "Our goal was to make the Breeders' Cup (Juvenile) but he got out of stride a little bit. Our back-up plan was to come to the Jackpot. I like the back-up plan now."

When asked about next year’s Kentucky Derby, Winchell said "We still have a long way to go, but this was a good start."

Asmussen won the Delta Jackpot for the first time after six previous tries.

Sabercat, 10th at the half-mile point after he was bumped hard at the start, rallied heading into the final turn. But he was forced to wait for running room breifly before restarting his charge on the outside to get the lead from Basmati at the head of the stretch. He drew off in the final furlong in a strong drive for Melancon, completing the 1 1/16-mile test in 1:46.62 over a fast track.

"We had a terrible start, we got slammed pretty good leaving there," Melancon said after his first Jackpot win in five tries. "All I could do was save some ground.

``I found me a good spot going into the last turn and he came through horses like a champ,'' added Melancon, the sixth jockey to ride Sabercat. ``I did have to steady him a little bit behind (Basmati) because it looked like he ducked out a little bit, then I got him back on and he's all business.''

Southern California invader Basmati, who rallied from sixth to overtake 2-1 choice Drill on the final turn, held second for Corey Nakatani, 2 1/2 lengths better than another California entrant, Longview Drive, ridden by Joel Rosario.

Drill, seeking to bounce back from a 10th-place finish in the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) for trainer Bob Baffert, and My Adonis engaged in a furious battle for the lead, stepping a quarter-mile in :22.11 and a half-mile in :45.41. Shortly after they had completed six furlongs in 1:11.60, My Adonis was finished and Drill would soon tire as well, fading to seventh.

Bred in Kentucky by Lantern Hill Farm, William J. Punk Jr., and the Lighthouse Group, Sabertcat is a dark bay or brown colt out of the Forty Niner mare Miner's Blessing.

His career mark now stands at 3-0-1 in six races with earnings of $681,420.

Sent off as the sixth choice in the field of 10, Sabercat carried 119 pounds and paid $18, $8.20, $5.60. Zilah Reddam's Basmati, trained by Doug O'Neill, picked up a $200,000 check while returning $7.80 and $5.40. The exacta was worth $164.40. Steve Beneto's Longview Drive, coming off a stakes win at the Big Fresno Fair for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, rallied from 10th for the show spot, paying $5.80.

Then came Seven Lively Sins, Laurie's Rocket, Jake Mo, Drill, Tiz Moe, My Adonis, and Dougs Buddy.

The Delta Downs Jackpot was one of eight stakes races on the Jackpot Day card worth $2.2 million in total purses.

Photo Credit: Coady Photography

Read more:

The Handicappers' Edge: Sabercat earns Derby credentials in Delta Jackpot

Daily Racing Form: Sabercat springs $18 upset in Jackpot for Asmussen

Thoroughbred Times: Sabercat Strikes with sweeping rally in Delta Downs Jackpot

Posted by Jennie Rees - Louisville Courier Journal Horse Racing Blog October 30, 2011
My colleague J.J. Hysell’s story on Sunday’s Iroquois won by Motor City, a son of jockey Calvin Borel’s 2007 Derby winner Street Sense. Photos by Yetta Feltner.

Calvin Borel was all smiles as he leads Street Sense's son into the winner's circle

Calvin Borel was all smiles as he leads Street Sense's son into the winner's circle

Jockey Calvin Borel jubilantly exclaimed as he toured the winner’s circle with Motor City, winner of Sunday’s Grade III, $100,000 Iroquois Stakes on opening day at Churchill Downs.

“Just like daddy!” he shouted.

Motor City is a 2-year-old son of Street Sense, the colt who gave Borel his first Kentucky Derby win in 2007. The gelding, owned by Lantern Hill Farm, is trained by Ian Wilkes, who was an assistant to Street Sense’s trainer, Carl Nafzger.

While Street Sense’s marquee win as a juvenile came on a much larger stage – in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile – Borel and Wilkes said Motor City reflects a lot of tendencies of his father.

“He’s got his same personality,” Borel said. “It took us a little bit longer to get him going, but we got him on the right track now. I think he’s got a lot of potential.”

Motor City, who is now 2 of 5 with earnings of $99,183, was shuffled back at the start and broke last. Seven Lively Sins and Julien Leparoux set the pace, ticking off fractions of :22.99 and :46.27. Fine, with Jamie Theriot, and Chalybeate Springs, guided by Jon Court, battled for second as they headed into the stretch.

In typical Borel fashion, Motor City came charging up the rail and overtook Se Motor City cruises to his first stakes victory, clearly appreciating the dirt.

Motor City cruises to his first stakes victory, clearly appreciating the dirt.

ven Lively Sins in the stretch. The gelding won by 3/4ths-length and covered the mile in 1:37.18.

Mr. Bowling and Rajiv Maragh Mr. Bowling and Rajiv Maragh finished third in a field of seven. Motor City was the third betting choice and paid $8.20, 3.40 and 2.40.

Wilkes said one Street Sense early habit was particularly on display for Motor City – the inclination to stop when he’s ahead.

“He certainly was (like him) today, the way he wanted to pull up.” Wilkes said. “He made the lead and put his ears up and wanted to stop. He’s still learning this horse, he’s still getting it together, still figuring it out.”

After breaking his maiden at Ellis Park in his second start, Motor City raced twice on synthetics. He finished third in the Grade 3 Arlington Wa Suzi Shoemaker (in winner's circle by Borel) is Motor City's owner-breeder

Suzi Shoemaker (in winner's circle by Borel) is Motor City's owner-breeder

shington Futurity at Arlington Park on Sept. 10 and eighth in the Grade I Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland on Oct. 8 – a race that included some adversity, as Wilkes said Motor City tore off part of a shoe.

“We never got a chance to run,” Wilkes said. “It showed how good a horse he was. The way the shoe was, he shouldn’t have beat a horse. He got beat 9 lengths in the futurity. He worked good on this track and I was very confident with him today.”

Wilkes said the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill on Nov. 26 is the next possible start for Motor City.

Addtional Articles:

Brisnet: Motor City the first Street 'Sense-ation' in Iroquois

The Republic: Motor City overtakes Seven Lively Sins for Iroquois win at Churchill Downs

Bloodhorse: Motor City Roars to Iroquois Victory

Thoroughbred Times: Like father, like son: Motor City rallies to win Iroquois

Thoroughbred Times - July 16, 2011 - Page 32

SUZI SHOEMAKER was just launching her career when she decided to take a breather from the horse business and concentrate on restoring a recently purchased home. In the process, she did some soul searching and when the reconstruction project was completed, Shoemaker had a new outlook.

“I learned that I never wanted to be away from horses again,” Shoemaker said.

Since that turning point, Shoemaker has been immersed in horses as the owner and operator of Lantern Hill Farm in Midway, Kentucky. She lives on the historic property and is actively involved in daily operations, from doing horse chores to updating the farm’s comprehensive website. She especially enjoys ponying the yearlings aboard her Quarter Horse Cutter.

Shoemaker’s life always has revolved around horses. She grew up in upstate New York showing American Saddlebreds and ventured to Lexington in 1976 for that breed’s famed Junior League Horse Show.

“I did not want to leave,” she said. “I just fell in love with Lexington.”

She returned to the Empire State and completed her animal science degree from Cornell University in 1978 before packing her belongings into a pickup truck and with her horse in tow headed to Lexington. Through a connection from the horse show world, Shoemaker secured a job at a farm with American Saddlebreds and Thoroughbreds. Although originally hired to help in the office, Shoemaker soon was assigned to the barn where her salesprepping duties included riding a few Thoroughbred yearlings.

During that time, Shoemaker made a bold gamble that would shape her destiny. With a $20,000 bank loan, she purchased a mare named No Crime, in foal to Bailjumper, at the 1982 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. Within the year, two of the mare’s offspring

became stakes horses and Shoemaker sold the mare that same year for $45,000 and her subsequent Bailjumper foal as a short yearling in January 1983 for $32,000. Recognizing the calculated risks as beginner’s luck, Shoemaker channeled the windfall into what she considered a safe investment in home restoration before returning to her passion for horses.

By the mid-1980s, she and her mother, Audrey Daniels, acquired more mares and began consigning under the Lantern Hill banner. In 1989, Shoemaker purchased a 75-acre farm in the Bluegrass that she later sold. In 1995, she purchased 144 acres of the former Parrishwood Farm, birthplace of Racing Hall of Fame racemare Princess Rooney, and has since expanded to 185 acres. Lantern Hill, named for a fictional lighthouse in the novel Jane of Lantern Hill, is home to more than 60 horses including recently sidelined Grade 1 winner Capt. Candyman Can, whom Shoemaker bred in a partnership with Joseph Rauch and David Zell.

Practical passion

Shoemaker credits her longevity in the often unpredictable Thoroughbred industry to a

number of factors that include her loyal client base and ability to adjust to changing markets. Instead of lamenting the reduced prices for sales horses in recent years, Shoemaker embraced the down market as an opportunity to race the horses she breeds. She has a few horses in training with Ian Wilkes and said the experience has given her a better understanding of the horses themselves and the industry in general.

“The recession has encouraged breeders to have racetrack relationships,” she said. “It allows me to be a better breeder because I have a chance to see what the mares are actually producing.”

While she runs her operation as a business, her passion for animals does not waver, as with a filly delivered prematurely in January. Although the tiny newborn weighed just 40 pounds—about 75 pounds less than a normal foal— she was otherwise relatively healthy. Shoemaker opted for minimal veterinary care instead of euthanasia in part because the youngster traces to one of her foundation broodmares and the undersized filly has thrived.

“I have to be practical, but I have to do what is right for my soul,” she said. “If [a decision] is going to haunt me for years, I won’t do it.”

The pint-sized preemie typifies Shoemaker’s balanced respect for all animals. She has about a half-dozen well-fed and affectionate barn cats that she relies on for rodent control. A dog merrily mingling with the barn crew was a stray Shoemaker had picked up the previous day and was in the process of finding her owner. Horses well past their prime are given new roles as pasture companions under the right circumstances. (See sidebar.)

Shoemaker also did right by her soul when she placed her land into a conservation easement, which means the property cannot be developed. She went green in 2006 with the detailed process of composting the farm’s manure instead of spreading it in the fields, which can spread pathogens and seeds and can contaminate groundwater.

“No one is as amazed as I am that I can keep doing what I love, keep my bills paid, and keep raising good horses like Capt. Candyman Can and [champion] Dreaming of Anna,” she said. “What makes it so rewarding is the relationships with people who buy horses from me. Some have become lifelong friends.”

-- Liane Crossley

What does Lyle Lovett have in common with Lantern Hill Farm?

Well, we both love his music. But it turns out we are fellow supporters of the Equine Land Conservation Resource (ECLR), a national non-profit whose mission is to advance the conservation of land for horse related activity.

While trail riding last fall Cutter and I got to meet ECLR Chief Executive Officer Deb Balliet, who was riding her AQHA gelding Taz at the Life Adventure Center in Versailles, KY

Deb’s job at ELCR is all about raising awareness of disappearing agricultural land, which we are losing at the rate of 6,000 acres a day. Equine Land Conservation Resource poses this important question to horse lovers:

“In the future, where will you ride, drive, compete, race, raise foals, and grow hay? Where will your grandchildren ride drive, compete, race, raise foals and grow hay? “

Lantern Hill Farm was protected with a conservation easement in December 2009 through the Lexington based Bluegrass Conservancy, so these are goals near to our heart.

Take a minute to read through the March 2011 issue of The Resource, which also just happens to have a good picture of Cutter earning his keep.

The progress of our Keeneland November weanlings tells me October is disappearing as fast as leaves from the sweet gums and door fans from stalls. We took our first weanling sales photos yesterday, and the babies’ newfound poise says our grooming and hand-walking are paying dividends. I love this time between September yearling sales and the hustle of November mares and foals; when I can slip over to Keeneland in the morning for workouts, trail ride a bit on Cutter and still catch a few races in the afternoon. I am lucky to have such a great crew, and so grateful for their daily diligence in feeding, grooming, and medicating, as well as the added fall tasks of steaming barns, cleaning sheds and fixing fences.

Click Here to view our Keeneland November Consignment.

We came through our Book Three sales in good order, with most of the yearlings selling to end users. The word among consignors after Book Two finished was “one bid over the reserve,” but we found most of ours going well past their reserves as the session progressed Sunday. There is plenty of activity back at the barn for horses listed as “RNA,” and it was quite a relief to be back in the familiar format of week two at Keeneland September. Today we were back at the farm, clipping, pulling manes and putting on shoes, and we will ship Book Five yearlings into Barn 15 this afternoon. I am looking forward to buyer reactions to this group…I hope they like the quality of the yearlings we saved for later in the sale.

Is it irrational to be so optimistic about this year’s Keeneland yearling sales? Probably, but I am looking forward to Saturday’s first show day, and especially to our Book Three and Five horses, when we have some great value to offer our customers.

As a group, these 19 are the most solid youngsters we’ve had in a long time—and virtually all of them have been with us since foaling. Our sales prep started in June with fundamentals of confidence training and round pen work (in a surcingle or roller), and moved on to hand walking, the EquiGym and walking out with the (long-suffering) pony horse.

The result of this variety of handling is a calmness and flexibility in attitude not often seen in yearling thoroughbreds; plus fitness and the added bonus of the best vet reports we’ve ever had.

If the market is truly seeking affordable athletes, a high percentage of our horses will be exactly what they are looking for. See you at the sales!

Our Hard Spun filly and Street Sense colt have made great progress in confidence and body condition since I got back from Saratoga. Their days now are crowded with presale shoes, scopes and buyer inspections, plus the usual exercise and grooming schedule. This pair should be right on target when they step off the van September 10, and both have cultivated the teenager's cool to all the attention. They are vastly different body types; with the filly leggy and elegant and the colt blocky and built for speed. It's exciting to see two years of work and planning come together, and even more fun to see them daily transform into future race horses.

Thoroughbred Daily News - July 30, 2010 - Pages 11 & 12

Lantern Hill Farm heads into this year’s edition of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling sale with only two yearlings. However, the size of this year’s consignment is by no means indicative of the quality. Both yearlings offer plenty of draw from an international perspective, including hip 195, a colt by Cape Cross(Ire), whose top progeny include a pair of Horses of the Year—Sea the Stars (Ire) and OuijaBoard (GB). Out of the stakes-winning mare Two Clubs (GB) (First Trump {GB}), the Highfield Farm-bred colt is a half brother to G1 Sprint Cup hero Red Clubs (Ire) (Red Ransom). Hip 195 Cape Cross (IRE) - Two Clubs (GB), c.

Hip 195 Cape Cross (IRE) - Two Clubs (GB), c.

“He has the most amazing walk of any yearling I have prepped in a very long time,” said Lantern Hill Farm’s Suzi Shoemaker. He's very smooth, very confident, has a huge overstep and very relaxed and loose way of walking through his hip and shoulder.”

Highfield Farm principal Dr. John Fike, who is based just outside Cleveland, Ohio, has had a presence in the horse racing industry for over a quarter of a century. A client of Lantern Hill through most of the last decade, Dr. Fike currently boards seven mares at the Midway area farm and has one sole representative, Two Clubs, boarded at Islanmore Stud in Ireland.

“Dr. Fike decided to keep him here, partially because of financial reasons, and also because he felt he would be showcased better at Saratoga,” explained Shoemaker. "There are far more Cape Cross yearlings in Europe, so to bring a really nice horse by the Darley sire over here, we thought this horse had a really good chance to be successful in the [United States]. No matter what side of the Atlantic you're on, a yearling like that is very compelling. I think it figures to be a good showcase for the stallion's progeny, as well as for the sale of this particular horse.”

Also enjoying recent overseas updates is hip 164, a bay filly by Distorted Humor out of the Sadler’s Wells mare Sand Pebbles (Ire). The Apr. 2 foal is owned and bred by Russell L. Reineman Stable Inc. Out of the Secretariat mare Clandestina, the filly’s 13-year-old dam is a full-sister to G2 Royal Lodge S. winner Desert Secret (Ire); Bineyah (Ire), runner-up in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks; and Group 3 placed In Camera (Ire). Hip 164 Distorted Humor - Sand Pebbles (IRE), f.

Hip 164 Distorted Humor - Sand Pebbles (IRE), f.

“She takes a bit more from the Sadler's Wells side of the family,” Shoemaker pointed out. She has a bit more scope than Distorted Humor and a very big walk. Also, she is bred along a similar cross to a very impressive maiden winner [Pathfork, out of the Sadler's Wells mare Visions of Clarity {Ire}] at the Curragh [July 18]. There is also a Group 3 winning filly--Radharcnafarraige (Ire) (out of the Storm Bird mare Extraterrestrial)--that is bred along a similar pattern.”

Adding further luster to the filly’s bottom side is her third dam--My Charmer (Poker)--who is responsible for Triple Crown hero Seattle Slew (Bold Reasoning), G1 2000 Guineas winner Lomond (Northern Dancer) and $13.1-million yearling purchase Seattle Dancer (Nijinsky II), a Group 2 winner in Ireland and Group 1 placed in France. “This filly comes from a very big female family that has a lot of quality,” remarked Shoemaker. Distorted Humor hasn't had a lot of notable success in Europe before this year, but he has two really top runners there this season and who are bred very similarly to this filly.”

Beacon of Light...

After graduating from Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences with a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science in 1978, Shoemaker leased a small tract of land and christened the new operation Lantern Hill, which was named in honor of Prince Edward Island's fictional lighthouse in the 1937 Lucy Maud Montgomery novel, Jane of Lantern Hill. Steadily building a successful operation through the 1980s and >90s, Shoemaker was able to secure a 75-acre farm in Scott County in 1989, before purchasing 144 acres of the former Parrishwood Farm in Woodford County in 1995. Already of historic significance as the birthplace of the 1984 Eclipse Award-winning older mare Princess Rooney (Verbatim), the latter property would become the launching pad for a recent champion; 2006 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Dreaming of Anna (Rahy), who was also foaled and raised at the nursery. Lantern Hill, which expanded to 185 acres following the purchase of an adjacent 40-acre tract of land in November in 2005, is now comprised of six barns with 62 stalls, and a late Victorian home which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Cooper House. Other notable Lantern Hill pupils who got their early start with the operation are Grade I winners Ordway (Salt Lake), Pampered Princess (Indian Charlie) and Capt. Candyman Can (Candy Ride {Arg}), a Keeneland September yearling grad who collected last year’s GI King’s Bishop S. at Saratoga.

While Shoemaker confirmed that the majority of her current yearling crop is slated for Keeneland’s September sale, she is confident that her current consignment has what it takes to make a splash at the Spa.

“Keeneland September tends to fit a wider range of our yearlings,” explained Shoemaker. “Any of our earlier maturing yearlings, like the ones we have this year, have always done well at Saratoga. The nice thing is that these yearlings fit a market that encompasses European trainers and end users that might not be present at some of the more regional sales. We think these are two very special horses and think they should do well here.”

--Christina Bossinakis

Harissa as a yearling at the 2008 Keeneland September Sale

Every trainer loved the bay Afleet Alex-Dynasty filly at our consignment to the 2008 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She wasn’t the flashiest yearling in the shed row, but she almost never left the walking ring during two show days, and when the hammer fell Steve Bajer and partners bought her for $95,000.

Now named Harissa, the sophomore won the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks Sunday afternoon under jockey Tyler Baze by 3 ½ widening lengths over Hayley’s Halo and Queen Greeley. In her first start on dirt, Harissa prompted the early pace, contested through the stretch to pull even with Hayley’s Halo, and then shook free to finish the mile and 1/16 in 1:42:90 for trainer David Hofmans.

When asked by the El Paso Times if Harissa’s win would make him consider taking the filly to Kentucky for the first Friday in May, Hofmans said, "Probably, she seems to be a little better on dirt. She seems a little better than on synthetics."

"This was really good. This has been a blast," he added.

Jockey Tyler Baze said "I was loaded. I had so much horse. I just had to wait and make my move. She's a really nice filly. Now maybe on to the Kentucky Oaks."

Harissa broke her maiden in her final start at two on Nov 19 at Hollywood Park, and most recently ran second to G3 placed Baffert trained rival Ellafitz after stumbling at the start. Harissa’s career line now stands at 7-2-2-1, $174,520.

Click here to watch the race
Click here to read more about Harissa's win

Teriffic Challenge (yellow right) wins the Jebel Ali Sprint (Credit: Oliver Clarke/Gulf News)

Eight year old Terrific Challenge (G-3) earned his second win in two weeks, beating 16 ace sprinters to win the Jebel Ali Sprint (L) by a length yesterday for trainer Satish Seemar and jockey Ted Durcan in Dubai.
“He was really smooth,” said Durcan. “There was a lot of speed around us which was a help. (Former jockey) Richie [Mullen] told me to just leave him alone because he knows what to do and he did it well.”
The field for the 2010 Jebel Ali Sprint, regarded as one of the most competitive in years, included last year’s winner Hammadi and Dubai Racing Carnival winner Frosty Secret.

"He didn't just win, he won well, beating a top class field," said Seemar, a former United Arab Emirates champion trainer.
The victory may have earned the son of Royal Academy an invitation to compete in the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night March 27.
The old trouper is held together with his trainer’s skill and his own back class.
"He's a veteran and like most veterans there's a bit of wear and tear, but he's a very nice horse to have in the stable,” Seemar commented.
From a Lantern Hill foundation family, the chestnut horse is the first foal from the Crafty Prospector mare Clever Empress. Sold for us by Eisaman Equine at the 2004 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale to trainer Stan Hough and partners, Terrific Challenge had seven US wins on dirt and turf, including three consecutive sprint stakes victories at Monmouth.

In 2007, in his first year racing in the UAE Terrific Challenge beat Eclipse Champion Thor’s Echo in the Marju Mahab Al Shimaal (G3); and with his two 2010 wins his career line now stands at 34-11-7-3, $550,684.

Click Here to Watch the Race

Photo Credit: Oliver Clarke/Gulf News

When I-64 cut through Midway’s deep loamy soils in the early 1960s it created a pizza slice piece of land with the new exit 65, where today Lantern Hill’s acres are bound by the interstate to the north and US 421 on the south.

While both heavily travelled roads make access to vet clinics, Keeneland, Churchill Downs and more exotic locales an easier reach, they ultimately leave the storied agricultural countryside more attractive for hotels, houses and mini-marts than raising crops or livestock.

As the latest recession made local government desperate for funds, land near Lantern Hill was rezoned for residential development and more intense commercial uses. A proposed agricultural marketing center at Midway Station was roundly defeated by adjoining property owners who preferred raising roof tops over supporting local crop and livestock farmers.

We all know this disdain for farming is a national trend, and family farms have been in decline for at least four generations.

I admit there are days when I wonder why anyone would want to live on the land in the 21^st century. Without offering any guarantees of sustenance, a horse farm makes leisure time a faint memory, takes muck wagons of cash and requires nearly relentless physical labor.

But this fact remains: most of the time I can’t imagine being anywhere else or having a better lifestyle, and I know how lucky I am to raise race horses and keep our bills paid.

At least if the farm land is still here, not under asphalt, someone else can pursue that dream in 25 or 50 years, and maybe raise another Eclipse Award winner.

So it is with great relief and hope for the future that Lantern Hill Farm announces the donation of a conservation easement on our 184 acres to the Bluegrass Conservancy

Founded in 1995, the Conservancy is a private, nonprofit regional land trust committed to the preservation and conservaion of the unique rural and cultural resources of the Bluegrass Region. Like all nonprofits, they can use your support: http://www.bluegrassconservancy.org/.

Click Here to read a recent article in the Lexington Herald-Leader featuring Lantern Hill's conservation easement.

Capt. Candyman Can, Dr. Joe Rauch & Ian Wilkes at Saratoga

Fatal Bullet may have earned the “Win and Your In” spot afforded by winning the Phoenix S. (G3) on opening day at Keeneland, but Lantern Hill graduate CAPT. CANDYMAN CAN also stamped his ticket for the $1,000,000 Sentient Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) on November 7 at Santa Anita.

“You've got to love him, don't you?” said trainer Ian Wilkes, who added the Breeders’ Cup Sprint is likely if all continues well with Capt. Candyman Can.

“You've got to commend the winner; he's a nice horse. But I'm proud of my little monster,” Wilkes continued.

Capt. Candyman Can uncorked a “terrific late run” (DRF’s Marty McGee) and “came flying from eighth at the top of the stretch to just miss while carrying four more pounds than the winner” (Louisville Courier-Journal’s Jennie Rees).

Fatal Bullet -- who was 2008 Canadian champion sprinter, Horse of the Year and second in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Sprint -- “held off hard-charging Grade I winner Capt. Candyman Can by a half-length to win” (Thoroughbred Times, Steve Bailey), and the Equibase chart noted Capt. Candyman Can “closed strongly and was getting to the winner with every stride.”

A day earlier, another Lantern Hill offspring, CONCHACER, missed second by a nose in the $150,000 Perryville S. (G3) on Keeneland’s main track. Winner of the Forward Pass S. at Arlington Park in August, Conchacer (Congaree-Eliot Chacer, by Clever Trick) took on a number of graded stakes winners and was beaten less than a length and a half for the win, after contesting the pace throughout and a prolonged battle through the stretch. He was bred by Lantern Hill Farm and Lighthouse Group. A 2007 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase for Brent Fernung, he races for Savoy Stable and is trained by Dale Bennett.

Thank you to our loyal customers who made the Keeneland September Yearling Sale so successful.

Lantern Hill sold 16 of the 18 yearlings sent through the ring during our four sales days. On three of those days the yearlings' averages ranged from 35% to 97% more than the average of the other yearlings selling that day.

(Photo at right: LHF sales topper, Tapit-On the Town, sold to Bob Baffert, Agent)

Potential web site updates looked ambitious last week, with Justenuffhumor running in Saratoga’s Bernard Baruch S. (G-2) on Friday and Capt. Candyman Can entered in the G-1 King’s Bishop for Saturday.

Both horses have strong ties to Lantern Hill, but only a pie-eyed optimist would think we’d be writing a double victory story Sunday morning.

So what does Lantern Hill have to do with Justenuffhumor? We were lucky when Frank Calabrese retired his stakes winning mare Justenuffheart to Lantern Hill Farm in the fall of 2000, because not only did we have the honor of raising her two Rahy offspring, champion filly Dreaming of Anna and G2 winner Lewis Michael; we also got to live with this legendary daughter of Broad Brush on a daily basis.

Justenuffheart stands over 16.1 hands, is leggy for her sire’s stock; and both her Rahy offspring stood over a lot of ground. So when Mr. Calabrese sought advice on the mare’s 2004 mating, Suzi thought Distorted Humor’s smaller stature might be a good fit. At the time his fee was a relatively modest $50,000, but with the likes of 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide on the track, he looked to have potential as a mate for the unproven Justenuffheart.

Later that year Mr. Calabrese decided to sell all of his mares and Justenuffheart was entered in Lantern Hill Farm’s consignment to the 2005 Keeneland January Sale. Greg Goodman’s Mt. Brilliant Farm purchased the mare on the advice of Mt. Brilliant farm manager Jody Alexander, who loved “Justy” the minute he saw her, and was a frequent visitor to the farm and sales barn those days.

Darley Stable purchased Justenuffhumor at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale from Mt. Brilliant in 2006, and trainer Kieran McLaughlin found the colt’s best stride this year, with six consecutive wins on the turf and earnings of $317,400.

"He's one of those special horses who when you put them in the starting gate, you know they'll find a way to get to the wire first," McLaughlin said after the Bernard Baruch win Friday afternoon.

Saturday’s running of the seven furlong King’s Bishop on a sloppy track may have lacked the poetry of Justenuffhumor’s commanding turf win Friday, but no one could be prouder of their horse’s determination to prevail than we are of Capt. Candyman Can. Capt. Candyman Can and Vineyard Haven trying to occupy the same spot in the Saratoga stretch, King's Bishop S. (G-1)

Capt. Candyman Can and Vineyard Haven trying to occupy the same spot in the Saratoga stretch, King's Bishop S. (G-1)

As The Captain gained on Vineyard Haven in the stretch, the gray drifted into his path and bumped him twice inside the sixteenth pole, knocking him off stride. In spite of being cut off Capt. Candyman Can conceded only a neck victory to Vineyard Haven, whose number was quickly taken down after jockey Javier Castellano’s claim of foul.

“He came out and bumped me twice,” said Castellano. “My horse lost momentum at that point. I think we would definitely have won without the bumping.”

Watching the race here in Midway, we agreed. Then we toasted The Captain, Joe Rauch and Dave Zell, Ian Wilkes, and Stormy Way. What a great couple of days!

"Who can take tomorrow,
Dip it in a dream,
Separate the sorrow
And collect up all the cream?
The Candy Man can."
"The Candy Man", lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley

In the fall of 2007 Dr. Joe Rauch and his granddaughter were at the piano plunking out the notes to Sammy Davis Jr.’s 1972 hit "The Candy Man" when Joe realized he had the perfect name for the Candy Ride yearling he owned with Dave Zell.

Bred in partnership with Lantern Hill Farm LLC and produced from the Storm Creek stakes winner Stormy Way, the two men bought out Lantern Hill’s interest in the yearling at the Keeneland September Sale after it became apparent a questionable scope report would keep the handsome colt from bringing a fair price.

As so often happens, Joe’s first name choice wasn’t available, but with the addition of “Capt.,” the name was granted to a colt that does his best to deliver on those song lyrics every time he loads in the starting gate.

From four stakes efforts this year Capt. Candyman Can has won three, and his victory in the seven furlong Hutcheson S.-G2 at Gulfstream Park on January 30 had us dreaming of Kentucky Derby roses. Capt. Candyman Can vied for the lead early, backed off the leaders in the backstretch, angled four wide on the turn to get the lead by a half length, and battled through the stretch, widening his margin to a length and a half.

For his next start, trainer Ian Wilkes stretched the gelding out to a mile in the $250,000 Fountain of Youth S.-G2 at Gulfstream, but after a fourth place finish there the conditioner’s focus for The Captain shifted from Derby starter to Sprint Specialist.

Aqueduct’s 7 furlong Bay Shore S.-G3 on April 4 was a perfect target, and Capt. Candyman Can responded with a three and three-quarters length victory, racing under Javier Castellano’s firm hold between horses in the early stages, moving up on the outside and charging to the front over Taqarub.

The Captain returned to his home track for Churchill Down’s $100,000 Matt Winn S. on May 16, where the early going was a carbon copy of the Bay Shore until 4-5 favorite Cash Run challenged through the stretch, but The Captain dug deep to put him away by three parts of a length.

The Matt Winn featured another Lantern Hill homebred, Conchacer, (Congaree-Eliot Chacer, by Clever Trick) who finished third that day in his first stakes effort. The colts grew up together and sold on the same day at the 2007 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Photo Credit: Lantern Hill Farm LLC

Woodford Girl wins The Diamond A at Keeneland

For a Kentucky breeder, the only thing better than a homebred filly’s win at Keeneland is still being the owner of that filly when she’s standing in the winner’s circle.

Woodford Girl (Honour and Glory-Shawgatny, by Danzig Connection) closed out Keeneland’s Spring Meet with a win in The Diamond A, a 1 3/16 m. turf allowance test.

The Ian Wilkes pupil was bumped leaving the first turn, but made a good middle move under Robby Albarado while racing off the rail, angled wider for the drive and gained a short lead at the top of the stretch, which she extended in the run to the wire to win by three parts of a length. She withstood a late challenge by the Phipps Stable’s regally bred With Flying Colors, (A.P. Indy- My Flag, by Easy Goer).

Four year old Woodford Girl broke her maiden in her second career start last year, winning a mile maiden special at the Fair Grounds in February by three plus lengths, going away. She likes to put on a show through the stretch and that day she trailed the field with less than a half mile to go, split foes when given her head and rallied strongly for the win.

The hometown win is especially sweet because the dark bay filly’s family goes back three generations at Lantern Hill Farm. Grand dam Star Empress (*Young Emperor-Questar, by Requested) provided a down payment for our original farm acreage through her 1991 Keeneland July Selected Yearling sales topping daughter Shawgatny, who since her return to the farm has produced SATULAGI (L) as well as Woodford Girl.

Photo credit: Pat Lang Photography

The temperature in Midway was only 15 degrees when the horses loaded in the gate for the Hutcheson Stakes (G-2) at Gulfstream Park on Friday afternoon, but we were all toasty when Capt. Candyman Can's smooth trip under jockey Julien Leparoux turned into a length and a half victory over Hello Broadway.

Kentucky's ice storm struck Monday, followed by four inches of snow and single digit temperatures. After four relentless days battling icey roads, downed trees, frozen water tanks, stuck vehicles and wearing all the clothes in the closet, this bay gelding's fluid confidence made me remember why it is still worth it to trudge back out in the snow, dark and cold to pull out another foal.

-Suzi Shoemaker

For More on Capt. Candyman Can's Hutcheson S. win visit http://tcm.bloodhorse.com/article/49022.htm

Photo credit: Horsephotos

Valenza's son by Street Cry led Lantern Hill Farm's consignment and all Street Cry yearlings at the Keeneland September Yearling sale, selling to John Ferguson on a bid of $410,000. The nearly black colt never put a hoof wrong during four days of intense scrutiny from the toughest audience in the world, and we are grateful to Ed Gamble's Destinaire Farm for allowing us to represent him with this model colt.

Other September highlights included Highfield Farm's Mineshaft-Victorica colt, selected by trainer Richard Mandella on behalf of Seven Rivers for $200,000; and Lantern Hill Farm's Forest Wildcat-Western Friend colt, purchased by Nick de Meric for $180,000. We also had the highest priced Kitten's Joy yearling, produced by the Fit to Fight mare Knock Off, and sold on behalf of Smitten Farm for $120,000 to trainer Dale Romans.

No one can deny the turmoil in world financial markets had a profound effect on the second week of the sale, and most consignors operated in survival mode. This meant buyers went home with better horses for less money than they could have in 2007, and ultimately everyone has a greater chance to prosper.

At Lantern Hill we were proud to find a new home for virtually every yearling we brought to the sale, and look forward to following this crop's racing success in the coming years.

El Prado’s daughter Return to Paradise stalked the leaders three wide, rallied on the turn and drew off in the stretch for a 2 1/4 length victory on Arlington Million Day in the mile and sixteenth Hatoof Stakes (first division). Ridden by John Velasquez for trainer Todd Pletcher, the filly is out of Winner’s Edge (by Seeking the Gold), and was bred by Highfield Farm. The win on fast turf was the third for the dark bay three year old, who was stakes placed last year at two in the Swinging Mood S. (L) and Holly S. Congratulations to owner Sam Pollock, who purchased Return to Paradise from our 2006 September Yearling consignment. Return to Paradise is the first stakes winner for Winner’s Edge, who produced stakes placed Capac ($192,256) and has a two year old in training for Highfield Farm named Perfect Edge, by Pleasantly Perfect.

Photo credit: Joy Gilbert

O'sotopretty as a Keeneland September Yearling

Since Sabino romped at Churchill Downs in May, three more yearlings from Lantern Hill Farm’s 2007 yearling class are maiden winners, each in its first start. The most recent of these, Dale Romans’ pupil O’sotopretty (above) won a 5 ½ furlong maiden test by five lengths on June 20 at Churchill Downs. The bay filly challenged after three furlongs and took over in the stretch to draw away under jockey Robby Albarado in 1:08 on a sealed track. A daughter of La Turk, by Turkoman, she was bred by Lantern Hill Farm and purchased for $13,000 from our 2007 Keeneland September Yearling Sale consignment by trainer Romans for owner Frank L. Jones Jr.
Samba's Run at Keeneland January 2007

Another 2007 yearling grad, Samba’s Run (right), found the winners circle on June 16 for trainer Larry Jones in a five furlong race at Delaware, dueling two wide from the start, drawing clear on the turn, and bounding away to win by 5 ¾ lengths in :59.1. Bred by John and Cathy Fike’s Highfield Farm, Samba’s Run (Cherokee Run-Wild Samba, by Wild Again) brought $30,000 from Elk Manor Farm as a short yearling from our 2007 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages sales consignment (right).

Four days before the Samba's Run victory, two year old filly Girls Image (Halo’s Image-Native Gate Dancer, by Girls Image at Keeneland September 2007

Gate Dancer) won her first start at Lone Star Park by nearly six lengths for trainer Glen Rottweiler and owner Richard P. Hessee. After chasing the pace, Girls Image (left) raced four wide on the turn, took the lead at the top of the stretch, and drew away for the win. Foaled and raised at Lantern Hill, and bred by Paul Franck’s Take 5 of Ocala LLC, the filly was purchased by Mr. Hessee for $13,000 from our Keeneland September Yearling Sale consignment. Congratulations to all the connections of these two year olds, and we hope to see you again in September.

Photo credit: Lantern Hill Farm LLC

Offers of free nick ratings are everywhere these days, and I must admit I consult them often, especially late in the afternoon when I am still trying to conjure the last mares in my 2008 pedigree pile into an equal stack of 2012 graded win photos.

But Andrew Caulfield’s March 25 commentary in the Thoroughbred Daily News (below) brings me back to reality, and bears repeating here. So often a mating which seems right on a gut level--because it is based on the conformation and racing strengths of the stallion and mare--doesn’t have corroborating data in anyone’s computer analysis.

And that mating is often discarded as too risky, when in fact the overwhelming weight we give to this limited data is the riskiest part of the process.

Let’s not forget the horses themselves when planning our matings, and realize that the long lag time and small sample size in these databases results in a rather large number of “proven” crosses showing up as top of their class—and that is why the stallion farms are using them as a marketing tool, plain and simple.

Until we start looking at all the horses from those same A nicks that never break their maidens in spite of every opportunity, the computer data we use should carry far less weight in our decisions, if we truly want to produce future race horses.

PEDIGREE INSIGHTS: POWER OF THE NICK
BY ANDREW CAULFIELD
(underlines added )

As someone whose income is largely derived from drawing up mating suggestions for stud owners, should I be feeling increasingly threatened by the proliferating number of computer--generated nicking services now available?

Well, I suppose the answer depends on how much faith one has in the concept of a successful nick. Many breeders clearly find it reassuring that a particular cross has worked before, encouraging the belief that such a nick represents the surest route to success. On the other hand, Rob Whiteley--a breeder with a thorough grounding in statistics and logic--wrote to TDN on February 21 in support of Bill Oppenheim’s contention that sample sizes are frequently too small to be reliable.

Bill had cited the Storm Bird/Secretariat nick as the perfect example of the way success rates tend to drop as the numbers bred on that cross increase. For the record, this cross got off to a magnificent start in 1985 when Storm Bird’s first crop produced Storm Cat and the highly talented English-trained Storm Star, both of them out of daughters of Secretariat. Their success inevitably resulted in more Secretariat mares heading to Storm Bird’s door and this further support was justified by the appearance of the Preakness winner Summer Squall and the fast English colt Mujadil. By now the Storm Bird/Secretariat cross was beginning to be regarded as the goose that laid golden eggs, to the extent that--by the end of Storm Bird’s career--more than 11 percent of his foals were out of Secretariat mares. Yet this escalation in the number of foals bred on this cross yielded very little, with Storm Cat, Storm Star, Summer Squall and Mujadil remaining the only graded/group winners produced by the cross.

Storm Bird’s name also crops up in another example. It was a daughter of Storm Bird who provided Gulch with his first champion, Thunder Gulch, and this resulted in Gulch siring more foals from Storm Bird mares than from daughters of any other broodmare sire. The total now stands at 56 but none of Thunder Gulch’s successors has so far hit the Grade I target.

It’s my belief that this apparent weakening of a popular cross owes plenty to conformation--or breeders’ willingness to overlook conformation in the reckless pursuit of nicks. Virtually every stallion sires a wide variety of physical types, with a portion of their offspring inevitably showing the influence of their dam or broodmare sire. So, while Storm Bird may have been suited by a particular type of Secretariat mare, it is unrealistic to think that he was suited by ALL types of Secretariat mare. Seth Hancock once made some interesting observations to the Blood-Horse regarding the importance of conformation, as opposed to nicks: “I never bred a good horse by Unbridled, and maybe the reason is he was a big horse and I tried to breed him to a smaller type of mare, many from the Northern Dancer line. I can’t say that worked. I’m not so sure it is as much a blood thing as it is a physical thing. The longer I stay in it I believe the more I’m going to be a type-to-type guy. I believe I should have bred some mares more of Unbridled’s type to him than I did. “Another aspect which needs taking into account is a broodmare’s ability on the track. If the Storm Bird/Secretariat nick had been founded by comparatively low-achieving mares, we would really have been onto something. However, Storm Bird sired Storm Cat from the dazzling Terlingua; Summer Squall from a dual Grade III winner; Storm Star from a Grade III winner; and Mujadil from a winning mare who produced four stakes winners. It is surely also relevant that these four mares all produced graded winners to other stallions. In other words, Storm Bird’s so-called nick with Secretariat mares was based on mares which were well above average in one respect or another. So were the breeders who sent comparatively ordinary daughters of Secretariat to Storm Bird fooling themselves in believing they were improving their chances of breeding a stakes winner?

Saturday’s GII Lane’s End S. will have bolstered many people’s faith in nicks, as the impressive winner, Adriano, is no less than the 12th graded winner sired by A.P. Indy from daughters of Mr. Prospector. As these 12 come from a sample of 100 foals, they represent an impressive 12 percent, with the percentage rising still higher when a handful of other stakes winners are included. So here we have an example of a nick which has stood the test of time since its potential was highlighted by Pulpit, Tomisue’s Delight and Accelerator, three members of A.P. Indy’s first crop. Perhaps the nick has derived some of its staying power from the fact that A.P. Indy and Mr. Prospector have both been champion sire and Mr. Prospector has been champion broodmare sire on numerous occasions.

Costume, another of the weekend’s Grade II winners, also represents a successful nick (even though she carries a Werk nick rating of B+). There are 25 foals by Danehill out of Nureyev mares--a mating which creates 3x3 inbreeding to Northern Dancer--and Costume is the fourth group winner to emerge from them. She follows Desert King (G1 Irish 2000 Guineas and Irish Derby), Danestorm (G1 Brisbane Cup) and Distinction (G2 Goodwood Cup).

While this cross was attractive, it has always been Juddmonte’s priority to try to pair mares with stallions which suit their conformation. Danehill’s progeny tended to be strong, more compact than lengthy, and he passed on his own good hind-leg and hocks. He was also a fairly reliable source of bone, the danger areas being a risk of back-at-the-knee conformation and upright pasterns. In the case of Costume’s dam, the Group 3 winner Dance Dress, Danehill was considered an excellent match for this quality individual on the score of size, bone, pasterns and hocks. The theory became reality in the form of Costume. Correct enough and sound enough to have raced 12 times already, this admirably genuine filly seems to be still on the upgrade. And while the nick which produced her now has 16 percent group winners to its credit, Juddmonte’s holistic approach to matings has done even better. Costume is one of 13 group/graded winners among Juddmonte’s 57 living foals by Danehill, which equals nearly 23 percent, and she is one of the sample’s 17 stakes winners (nearly 30 percent).

It is going to be interesting to see whether Thousand Words, a four-year-old by Danehill’s son Dansili out of a mare from Costume’s family, can emulate the filly’s success when he steps back into graded company following his impressive win at Santa Anita last month.

Champion Two Year Old and Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense had his first mare declared pregnant this morning at Lantern Hill Farm LLC.

2006’s leading North American owner Maggi Moss is off to a fast start for 2008 with her astute claim of the Lantern Hill raised five year old Mister Triester (left). Trainer Steve Asmussen haltered the Old Trieste-Scatter the Crowd gelding for $25,000 on January 10th at the Fair Grounds. The leggy chestnut won his next start for the same tag by 3 lengths at a mile under Shaun Bridgmohan on Jan. 28.

Wheeled back on Feb. 11 in allowance company at a mile, Mister Triester found the winner's circle a second time in as many starts for his new connections, winning the mile contest under Bridgmohan's patient handling by nearly two lengths.

In spite of being offered a quick profit on Mister Triester, Maggi has decided to sit tight and see what the future holds.

"He is my favorite horse, I just love him, " she said. "We will give him a short rest, and look for his next condition. He is a beautiful horse, has a lot of class, and is totally clean, " she added.

Bred by Lantern Hill Farm and Lighthouse Group LLC, Mister Triester sold from our 2004 Keeneland September Yearling Sale consignment for $85,000 to Cam Allard. Purchased for $135,000 by B. Wayne Hughes at the 2005 Barrett's March Selected Two Year Olds Sale, Mister Triester won early in his three year old season and placed second in the Illinois Derby (G-2) and third in the Derby Trial that year for trainer Warren Stute.

Now a winner at four and five as well, Mister Triester's career line is currently 19-4-2-3, $244,227.

Look for Mister Triester's 2005 half sister Disperse (by Najran) to start later this year for Lighthouse Group and Lantern Hill Farm under the tutelage of Ian Wilkes. Scatter the Crowd has a yearling filly by Dehere and is pregnant to Old Trieste's Grade I winning son Silver Train.

Photo Credit: Lou Hodges Photography

Mare Name	Covering Sire	LDB
Champagne Ending	Songandaprayer	Foaled
Vicky's Gone West	Officer	Foaled
Leading Lioness	Badge of Silver	Foaled
Winner's Edge	Hennesy	Foaled
Eliot Chacer	Sharp Humor	Foaled
Silver Wench	Stormy Atlantic	Foaled
Art Fan	El Prado	Foaled
Gemilli Stormy Way	Indian Charlie Purge	Foaled Foaled
Ablaze	Kafwain	Foaled
Frost Princess	Tale of the Cat	Foaled
Lever To Heaven	Artie Schiller	Foaled
Victorica	Empire Maker	28-Mar
Miner's Blessing	Dehere	1-Apr
Silver Crown	Forest Wildcat	1-Apr
Gold Princess	Silver Train	5-Apr
Aly's Conquest	Good Reward	7-Apr
Piney Woods	Exchange Rate	15-Apr
Sister Quick	Purge	15-Apr
Sleepoverwithgreer	Langfuhr	18-Apr
Sand Pebbles	Johar	19-Apr
Original Spin	Bernardini	26-Apr
Beyond Price	Dehere	26-Apr
Western Friend	Henny Hughes	29-Apr
On The Town	Tapit	29-Apr
Scatter the Crowd	Silver Train	1-May
Call Me Granny	Badge of Silver	2-May
October Beauty	Belong To Me	3-May
Clever Empress	Hennessy	14-May
Valiant Anna	Consolidator	16-May
Rare Rascal	Dehere	19-May
Aly's Adita	Malibu Moon	17-Jun

Australian Rebecca Hoy joins Lantern Hill Farm through the Communicating for Agriculture Program’s Equine Division. She was born and raised on her family’s beef cattle farm in Failford, New South Wales, and has 8 years experience working with quarter and paint horses. Rebecca worked as Head Nurse at Forster Veterinary Hospital, earned an Equine Nursing Certificate , and most recently worked at the resident mare hospital of Coolmore Australia. We are excited to have Rebecca join our team as she furthers her education in global thoroughbred farm management, breeding and sales.

Homebred Woodford Girl (left) made her Midway family proud at the Fairgrounds on February 4 with a 3 1/4 length maiden win going a mile on the dirt in just her second career start. Under a clever ride by jockey Patrick Husbands, the Honour and Glory three year old angled to the rail approaching the first turn, split horses around the second turn, and rallied determinedly through the stretch to win going away over favored Coeur d’ Arc.

Trained by Josie Carroll since last fall, Woodford Girl caught the eye of Steve Collison of The Handicapper’s Edge when she finished second in her career debut at Fair Grounds on January 11. In a race where very little seemed to go her way, Woodford Girl overcame her deadly one post position, stumbled at the start, went wide on both turns, but “showed true grit to come on for the place spot. This was a gallant effort all around for her.”

Woodford Girl is out of the winning Danzig Connection mare Shawgatny, (who was herself bred by Lantern Hill Farm LLC and Computer Applications Group in 1990). Shawgatny also produced Satulagi, by Officer, who won the Indore Pears Diamond Winkfield S. (L) in 2006 for trainer Stan Moore. The second dam, Star Empress, is the third dam of G-3 turf specialist Terrific Challenge.

Photo Credit: Lou Hodges Photography

One of Lantern Hill Farm’s most successful families got off to a quick start with its newest generation, when two-year-old Brother G. (pictured at left) won a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race for owner Zayat Stables and trainer Anthony Dutrow at Philadelphia Park on Nov. 3. Two weeks later, three-year-old Lead Time (below), joined the winners' ranks with a determined effort in a 6 furlong maiden test at Churchill Downs for owner/breeder Lantern Hill Farm and trainer Ian Wilkes.

Brother G, by Matty G., and Lead Time, by Gilded Time, are the second and first foals, respectively, from Lantern Hill's mare Sister Quick, the last daughter of Apalachee’s multiple stakes-producing daughter Come on Texas. Suzi Shoemaker purchased Come on Texas at the 19

97 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, when the mare's multiple record-setting turf speedster Texas Glitter (G3) was still a yearling. Come on Texas produced Cornhusker Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G3) winner Mr. John at Lantern Hill the next year.

Sister Quick’s yearling Toccet filly sold for $65,000 to Prater Thoroughbreds at the 2007 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The mare produced a colt by Grand Reward in 2007, and is back in foal to Cigar Mile (G1) winner Purge.

Photo Credits: Brother G. by Equiphoto; Lead Time by Reed Palmer Photography

Congratulations and thank you to all the purchasers of horses from our consignment to the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Bandini’s half sister Ashley Hall led the way for the Lantern Hill Farm consignment on November 6, selling for $825,000 on the bid of Croom House Stud manager Paul McCartan. Mr. McCartan purchased the winning daughter of the late Maria’s Mon on behalf of Denis Brosnan’s Epona Bloodstock, a division of Croom House Stud.

Ashley Hall is a daughter of Divine Dixie, which Lantern Hill sold for $2 million at the 2005 Fasig-Tipton November Selected Breeding Stock Sale. She is carrying her first foal by Bandini’s sire, Fusaichi Pegasus.

Croom House Stud raised Group 1 winners Candy Glen and Lavinia Fontana In County Limerick, Ireland, but Ashley Hall will likely join the broodmare band at the family’s newly acquired Kilflynn Farm in Bourbon County, Kentucky. Mr. Brosnan is chairman of Ireland’s leading food ingredients company, Kerry Group, and has served two terms at the helm of Ireland’s horse racing governing body, HorseRacing Ireland.

“I am thrilled that Ashley Hall will join such a distinguished breeding program, and thank Epona Bloodstock for their continued confidence in our horses,” Suzi Shoemaker said.

Epona Bloodstock had notable success with a Lantern Hill-bred colt it purchased as a weanling at the 2005 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $275,000. When resold at the 2006 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, the Johannesburg-Western Friend yearling brought $535,000 from Angie Sykes Bloodstock. Look for the colt, now named Strategic Knight, to run in 2008 under the tutelage of Paul Cole.

Also during the Keeneland November sale, Dixieland Band’s daughter Tally Ho Dixie topped the session when she sold for $285,000 to James T. Scatuorchio. Mr. Scatuorchio is best known to racing fans as the owner, with Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith, of Florida Derby (G1) winner Scat Daddy, who was recently retired to Ashford Stud.

Whistlin’ Dixie...

Tally Ho Dixie was selected as a yearling by Randy Trimble, who bought her for $85,000 on behalf of Richard Otto at the 2003 Keeneland September Sale. The dark bay proved a solid runner for Otto, registering four wins, three seconds and four thirds in 16 starts while earning $103,920. She concluded her career with an allowance win sprinting over Arlington Park's sod in June of 2006 before being retired to the breeding shed and mated to Grand Slam. "Mr. Otto bred her to Grand Slam because he thought that was a good cross--the same one that produced Limehouse," explained Shoemaker, who admitted that Otto had some reservations selling the mare. "He put her in the sale not really wanting to sell her," she said. "He wanted to get the first foal out of her, and would have been just fine taking her home, but I think everything really worked out." She added of the price, "It was significantly higher than the reserve. She's a nice mare, so we expected six figures, but not necessarily that." In addition to being by a hot broodmare sire in Dixieland Band, Tally Ho Dixie boasts a strong female family. Her winning dam, Tally Ho Annie (Capote), is a half-sister to Starrer, a dual Grade I winner of $1,043,033; and Steller Jayne, a three-time Grade I winner of $1,534,964. "And those mares all being bred to nice stallions now, so the family is really poised to explode," added Shoemaker.

Lantern Hill product Dreaming of Anna overwhelming choice as champion juvenile filly

Dreaming of Anna, a Frank Calabrese homebred who was foaled and raised at Lantern Hill Farm, was nearly a unanimous choice as 2006 Champion Two-Year-Old Filly during the Eclipse Awards ceremony on January 22.

By Rahy out of the Broad Brush mare Justenuffheart, Dreaming of Anna was foaled at Lantern Hill in the spring of 2004. The beautiful chestnut filly was raised at the Lexington-area nursery (pictured) until the end of her yearling year, when she went into training with Wayne Catalano.

Dreaming of Anna posted a perfect season in 2006 when she won all four of her races. The filly broke her maiden going 4 1/2 furlongs in May before she won the $60,000 Tippett Stakes at Colonial Downs and the Grade 3 Summer Stakes at Woodbine in September. Dreaming of Anna culminated her outstanding campaign with a resounding 1 1/2-length victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Churchill Downs on November 4. The filly has banked $1,266,240 to date.

Dreaming of Anna's championship was a runaway, as she received 265 of the 270 first-place votes.

Dreaming of Anna is the second champion to be produced on the acreage comprising Lantern Hill. Princess Rooney, the 1984 champion older female, was also foaled and raised on the property.

Dreaming of Anna, a Rahy filly foaled and raised by Lantern Hill Farm, turned in a devastating, front-running performance to win the $1,832,000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Churchill Downs on November 4.

Out of the Broad Brush mare Justenuffheart, Dreaming of Anna broke well from the rail and was never headed. The strapping chestnut filly cruised through an opening half-mile in 47.96, and six furlongs in 1:12.34 before she galloped home to win the 1 1/16-mile race by 1¼ lengths in 1:43.81.

"This is a special moment," winning jockey Rene Douglas said after the race. "She's the best filly I've ever ridden, and it wouldn't surprise me if she was good enough to go for the Kentucky Derby rather than the Kentucky Oaks next year."

Wayne Catalano trains Dreaming of Anna for owner and breeder Frank Calabrese. Calabrese originally purchased Justenuffheart privately after her maiden victory, and she went on to win the Frances A. Genter Handicap and the Marie P. DeBartolo Oaks for the Chicago-area businessman.

Calabrese sent Justenuffheart to Lantern Hill Farm after her retirement in 2001. The mare – who is a half-sister to 2004 Champion Turf Male Kitten's Joy – produced her first three foals at Lantern Hill, among them stakes winner and 2006 Triple Crown contender Lewis Michael.

Justenuffheart was consigned by Lantern Hill Farm to the 2005 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, where she was purchased by Mt. Brilliant Farm for $800,000.

Terrific Challenge, a four-year-old colt bred and raised by Lantern Hill Farm, won his third consecutive stakes race when he drew off to win the $60,000 My Frenchman Stakes at Monmouth Park on September 10.

Owned and trained by Stanley Hough, Terrific Challenge sat off the early pace but rallied under Joe Bravo to win the turf sprint by three lengths as the odds-on favorite. Time was 1:01 on a firm turf, which established a new course record for 5 ½ furlongs.

The victory was the colt’s fourth in 2006 and followed victories in the John McSorley and Sneakbox Stakes at Monmouth. Terrific Challenge has not been off the board in 10 starts this year, and he now boasts a career record of 15-7-5-2 for earnings of $255,400.

By Royal Academy, Terrific Challenge is the first foal out of the Crafty Prospector mare Clever Empress (GB). The mare descends from the immediate family of 2006 stakes winners Prince of Light (G3), Native Ruler and Satulago, the latter having also been bred, raised and sold by Lantern Hill.

Satulagi became freshman sire Officer's first stakes winner when she beat colts to win the listed Indore Pears Diamond Winkfield Stakes at Ascot on July 29. Bred and sold by Lantern Hill Farm LLC at the 2004 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $70,000, Satulagi became Officer's first winner on April 12, and had run second to Hope N Charity on July 1 at Newmarket in the listed Walker Transport Empress Stakes for Lambourn-based trainer Stan Moore.

2005 was a great year on the track for horses with Lantern Hill roots, led by Juddmonte Spinster S. (G1) winner Pampered Princess, whose dam, Crafty Ember, was a $27,000 Lantern Hill purchase for breeders Dr. R. Herman and Elizabeth Playforth at the 1995 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. In a 1999 mating planned by Suzi Shoemaker, the Playforths sent Crafty Ember to Indian Charlie and sold the resulting filly to John Moynihan, agent for Martin Cherry, at the 2000 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Named Pampered Princess, the Marty Wolfson trainee won 12 starts from two to five before her gutsy performance winning the Juddmonte Spinster at Keeneland. Pampered Princess was headed by Capeside Lady at the three-sixteenths pole, but dueled inside that foe, shook clear, and held off a late bid from Pleasant Home to win the 1 1/8 mile race by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:53.91. Pampered Princess was recently retired with career earnings of $786,185

Divine Dixie, dam of 2005 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) winner Bandini, was purchased by Robert and Janice McNair’s Stonerside Farm from Lantern Hill Farm’s consignment at Fasig-Tipton’s November Selected Mixed Sale on November 6, 2005, for $2-million.

At the sale, it was quickly apparent that Smitten Farm’s Divine Dixie had it all. Correct, beautifully balanced, a stakes-placed winner in her own right, by leading broodmare sire Dixieland Band, a half-sister to juvenile sire sensation Stormy Atlantic, and pregnant on one cover to Roman Ruler's sire, Fusaichi Pegasus, the mare showed her class by remaining unfazed during three days of intense scrutiny by a host of prospective buyers.

Bandini's 2005 spring campaign established him as one of the nation’s leading Kentucky Derby (G1) hopefuls, culminating with his six-length triumph in the Blue Grass, widely acknowledged as the year's deepest Derby prep race. Bandini is now training for a 2006 debut for trainer Todd Pletcher and owners Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, and we wish the McNairs and all of Bandini’s connections the best of luck in the New Year.

The November 1 purchase of an adjacent 40-acre tract of land will allow Lantern Hill Farm to further improve accommodations for broodmares and foals. The gently rolling land, which will be known as Springfield, was formerly used as a cattle and hay farm and entire comprises Maury-McAfee soils. One of the existing barns will be remodeled for use as a farm quarantine facility.

Royal Ascot Queens’ Vase (Eng-G3) winner Melrose Avenue was bred by Lantern Hill Farm LLC, Audrey Daniels and Kris S. Robillard, and raised at Lantern Hill Farm. The Mark Johnston trainee looked beaten by Irish raider Helvetio as they entered the homestretch, but took up the battle and “with a display of sheer courage” held off Mr. Darley for the win. From the penultimate crop of Kris S, out of multiple stakes producer Sham Street, Melrose Avenue has won three of seven races and has earned $102,925 for owner Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum.