All Equine All The Time

The late Scat Daddy was represented by a $535,000 filly. With over 300 2-year-olds finding new homes at the two-day Ocala Breeders’Co March Sale of 2-year-olds in training, there was much to take in at the second major 2-year-old sale of the season.  While not as many horses caused the $1-million mark fireworks seen at Fasig-Tipton’s Florida Sale , there was still enough to keep buyers entertained throughout the sale. Here are a few observations from the sale on stallions, buyers, and fairy tale purchases. Farewell to Smart Strike – Buyers still have a few more years before they are faced with trying to purchase horses from the final Smart Strike (Mr. Prospector) crop but his farewell tour was well underway at OBS March. His only yearling to sell at Fasig-Tipton Florida earlier this month sold for $200,000 but he bested that by more than $1-million with a colt out of Grade 2-placed Glamorista selling for $1.7-million to top the sale. Overall, the former leading ...

When Square Eddie (Smart Strike) retired to a California farm, it’s doubtful many people imagined the success he’d find in a relatively short period of time. Starting his career in England, Square Eddie made a big impression in his first U.S. start when he won the Grade 1 Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity. He followed that up with a second place finish in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile behind Midshipman (Unbridled’s Song) and placed in two spring 3-year-old races the following year before injuries caused him to go off form.  2008 BREEDERS' FUTURITY   V i deo courtesy of NT R AHorse Racing   Square Eddie was first retired in February 2010 with a suspensory injury and initially stood for a private fee at Vessels Stallion Farm with owner Paul Reddam committing to breed his own mares to the stallion. That first year, Square Eddie covered 34 mares with 33 of them getting in foal with all 33 giving birth to live foals for a 97 percent strike rate. But later...