Story by B. Jason Brooks
Fasig-Tipton’s 104th Saratoga Yearling Sale kicks off on Monday, August 4th and female families bred by multiple generations of the Hancock family at their legendary Claiborn Farm are well represented. An impressive 23 of the 192 hips, or 12 percent, have tail-female lines tracing back to Claiborne- or Hancock-bred foundation mares.
A dozen of the yearlings are colts, sired by top stallions that include three by Not This Time, two by Gun Runner, and one each by Charlatan, Gun Runner, Idol, Into Mischief, Justify, Practical Joke, Uncle Mo, and Argentinian-bred Candy Ride. The 11 yearling fillies are sired by an equally impressive roster, including two by first-crop sire Flightline, two by Tapit, and one each by Corniche, Golden Pal, Jackie’s Warrior, Justify, Not This Time, Uncle Mo, and Vekoma.
A total of 15 different Claiborne families are represented in the Saratoga Sale, with three from the family of La France, by French-bred Sir Gallahad, and two each from the families of Bourtai, by Stimulus, Gallita, by British-bred Challenger, imported British-bred Sunstep, by her native sire Sunstar, imported British-bred Venturesome, by Sir Martin, Vashti, by Gallant Fox, and the old family of Richard J. Hancock’s War Song, by War Dance. Other Claiborne foundation mares each represented by one tail-female line descendant in the Saratoga Sale include Careless Nora, by British-bred Panorama, imported British-bred Dark Water, by Irish-bred Dark Ronald, Eonette, by British-bred Eothen, Her Delight, by French-bred Herbager, Logistilla, by Locohatchee, imported British-bred Peroration, by British-bred Clarissimus, Seton Pippin, by Johnstown, and Vashti, by Gallant Fox.
While most of these Claiborne families date well back into the last century, their lasting impact is evident in their continued success at the highest levels of racing. As of August 1st, 25 graded stakes in the U.S. and Canada have been won by horses from Claiborne families, including Calvin Nguyen and Joey Tran’s grade 1 Jaipur Stakes-winning mare Ag Bullet, by Argentinian-bred Twirling Candy, and Winchester Farm-bred grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks-winning filly Scottish Lassie, by McKinzie. Ag Bullet represents the family of Claiborne’s imported British-bred Sunstep, mentioned above, and Scottish Lassie is from the family of Sicklefeather, by British-bred Sickle. In addition to the 25 graded wins, there have been at least 50 listed and black-type stakes races won this year in the U.S. and Canada by horses from Claiborne families.
Claiborne female families have also been well represented among this year’s stellar crop of 3-year-old colts who had success on the trail to the classics. SF Racing and partners’ Rodriguez, by Authentic, captured Aqueduct’s grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes with a 101 Beyer speed figure and returned to take fourth in the grade 1 Belmont Stakes. Rodriguez is from the family of Claiborne’s imported British-bred Fairy Ray, by her native sire Radium. Winchell Thoroughbreds and Coolmore’s Tiztastic, by Tiz the Law, earned a key victory in the grade 2 Louisiana Derby to earn a starting position in the grade 1 Kentucky Derby where he finished tenth. Tiztastic is from the family of Claiborne’s above-mentioned imported British-bred Dark Water, by Irish-bred Dark Roland.
Claiborne-bred mares have also produced stakes winners this year. Glenhill Farm-bred mare Ocean Club, by Curlin, won Woodbine’s grade 2 Nassau Stakes. Her dam and granddam – multiple graded stakes-placed Theatre Star, by War Front, and granddam Comedy, by Irish-bred Theatrical – were bred by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider. Seventh-generation Claiborne-bred mare St. Benedict’s Prep, by Claiborne sire Flatter, won Laurel Park’s Alma North Stakes and placed in Aqueduct’s grade 3 Distaff Stakes. She is from the family of Claiborne foundation mare Lea Moon, by Claiborne’s imported British-bred stallion Nasrullah.
Outside of the U.S. and Canada, Claiborne families are also thriving at some of the most elite racing festivals in the world. Wathnan Racing’s French-bred Lazzat, by Irish-bred Territories, won the group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. She is from the family of the above-mentioned Bourtai. Athbah Racing’s British-bred gelding Walk of Stars, by Irish-bred Dubawi, won the group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge at the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates. Bred by Godolphin, he is also from the family of Bourtai. And, also at Meydan, Coolmore and Resolute Bloodstock’s Irish-bred mare Believing, by her native sire Mehmas, won the group 1 Al Quoz Sprint. She is from the above-mentioned family of Sunstep.
The Hancock family’s brilliant breeding of mares from the best female families to the farm’s elite stallions has resulted in loads of blue hen mares or, as the late pedigree expert Ellen Parker identified them, reines-de-course or “queens of the turf” for their lasting impacts as broodmares. These families continue achieving at the highest levels in the U.S. and internationally and are expectedly well-represented again at Saratoga’s boutique yearling sale.
2025 SARATOGA SALE YEARLINGS FROM CLAIBORNE FEMALE FAMILIES
HIP #2 – c. (KY) Uncle Mo – Thatcher, by Giant’s Causeway, Ensigns Up branch of Viva America, Consignor Mulholland Springs, Barn 4
HIP #19 – c. (KY) Into Mischief – Victim of Love, by Speightstown, Eolee branch of War Song, Consignor Mulholland Springs, Barn 4
HIP #22 – c. (KY) Not This Time – Wholebodemeister, by Bodemeiste, Firewater branch of Dark Water, Consignor Thorostock, Barn 4
HIP #38 – f. (KY) Not This Time – American Gal, by Concord Point, Embroidery branch of Eonette, Consignor Gainesway, Barn 6
HIP #40 – f. (KY) Uncle Mo – Aspen Light, by Bernardini, Ommiad branch of Sunstep (GB), Consignor Eaton Sales, Barn 9
HIP #42 – c. (KY) Not This Time – Ava’s Kitten, by Kitten’s Joy, Alluvial branch of Bourtai, Consignor Taylor Made, Barn 7B
HIP #59 – f. (KY) Flightline – Carolyn’s Cat, by Forestry, Winesap branch of Seaton Pippin, Consignor Blake-Albina, Barn 7A
HIP #61 – f. (FL) Justify – Celestial, by Quality Road, Damaged Goods branch of Peroration, Consignor Eaton Sales, Barn 9
HIP #63 – c. (KY) Idol – Cerise’s Secret, by Astrology, My Risk branch of Venturesome (GB), Consignor St George, Barn 8
HIP #66 – c. (KY) Not This Time – Classic Strike, by Smart Strike, Homespun branch of Gallita, Consignor Taylor Made, Barn 7B
HIP #83 – f. (KY) Corniche – Dontwasteurpretty, by Unbridled’s Song, Jacola branch of La France, Consignor Machmer Hall, Barn 4
HIP #86 – f. (KY) Vekoma – Dress The Part, by Malibu Moon, Family of Her Delight, Consignor Machmer Hall, Barn 4
HIP #89 – c. (MD) Charlatan – Elevated Vision, by Great Notion, Betty Blue branch of Logistilla, Consignor Scott Mallory, Barn 5
HIP #92 – c. (KY) Gun Runner – Empire House, by Empire Maker, Eolee branch of War Song, Consignor Mulholland Springs, Barn 4
HIP #151 – c. (KY) Practical Joke – Market Rumor, by Afleet Alex, My Risk branch of Venturesome (GB), Consignor Paramount, Barn 1
HIP #152 – f. (NY) Jackie’s Warrior – Martini, by Yes It’s True, Levee branch of Bourtai, Consignor Warrendale, Barn 1
HIP #179 – c. (KY) Gun Runner – Princesa Carolina, by Tapit, Jacola branch of La France, Consignor Four Star, Barn 7C
HIP #181 – f. (NY) Golden Pal – Prisoner’s Dilemma, by Blame, Ensigns Up branch of Viva America, Consignor Taylor Made, Barn 7B
HIP #188 – c. (KY) Candy Ride (Arg) – Re Entry, by Malibu Moon, Jacola branch of La France, Consignor Gainesway, Barn 6
HIP #195 – c. (KY) Justify – Season Ticket (Ire), by Galileo (Ire), Ommiad branch of Sunstep (GB), Consignor Brookdale, Barn 3
HIP #201 – f. (NY) Tapit – She’samericanmade, by American Pharoah, Cycle branch of Vashti, Consignor Paramount, Barn 1
HIP #202 – f. (KY) Tapit – She’s Delightful, by Mission Impazible, Homespun branch of Gallita, Consignor Gainesway, Barn 6
HIP #208 – f. (KY) Flightline – Slam Dunk, by Into Mischief, Easy Pass branch of Careless Nora (IRE), Consignor Taylor Made, Barn 10