Two of the favorites for this year’s Kentucky Derby (G1) have strong ties to Claiborne Farm: Grade 1 winners Magnum Moon and Bolt d’Oro.
Undefeated Magnum Moon, who won the Arkansas Derby (G1) by four lengths in his last race, got his start at Claiborne. In fact, the bay colt was born, raised, and sold by the farm on behalf of his breeder, Ramona Bass.
After growing up at Claiborne, Magnum Moon fetched $380,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale, where he was purchased by his current owners Robert and Lawana Low.
The colt is by Malibu Moon, who has already sired a Kentucky Derby winner in Orb, who in turn is now a stallion at Claiborne. Magnum Moon’s dam, Dazzling Song, still lives at Claiborne and is back in foal to Malibu Moon for next year. Her yearling filly by Uncle Mo is also at the farm.
Although Magnum Moon is the latest sensation bred by Bass, he is far from the only one. Among other notable recent names, she bred reigning champion sprinter Roy H. Bass’s association with Claiborne spans generations, through her father, Arthur A. Seeligson Jr. His homebred runner Avatar, who won the 1975 Belmont Stakes (G1) and finished second in the Kentucky Derby, began his stud career at Claiborne.
Meanwhile, multiple Grade 1 winner Bolt d’ Oro is out of the winning Claiborne-bred mare Globe Trot. Claiborne consigned the daughter of A.P. Indy to the 2009 Keeneland September yearling sale, where she was sold for $100,000. Although she has passed away, Globe Trot is also the dam of multiple stakes winner Sonic Mule.
Globe Trot’s dam, Trip, raced as a homebred for Claiborne and was a multiple graded stakes winner in her own right. Trip, who earned $888,773 during her time on the track, was retired back to the farm, and at 21-years-old, she still calls Claiborne home. Among her other progeny is Passport, a stakes winner by Claiborne’s late sire Pulpit.
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Posted by Allison Bishop