Fancy Quality Sells

Fancy Quality sold today in the Fasig-Tipton March Digital Sale for $22K to Indiana-based owner/breeder Chris Nolan.

That was in the range the team expected, particularly given the tricky timing of this sale with breeding season having already begun.

While MRH did bid up to a certain amount with the plan to put her in foal and re-offer her in November, she ultimately reached what we felt was a fair price. Breeding her ourselves would have obviously come with additional expenses and risk—particularly if she weren’t able to get in foal.

We’ll continue to keep an eye on her in new career and our accounting team will get working on her series closure.

Fancy Quality to be Sold

 After conferring with trainer Kenny McPeek and the other partner, a decision was made to enter Fancy Quality in Fasig-Tipton’s March Digital Sale. The catalogue for that online auction will be released, and bidding opened, on March 13th. It closes on March 18th.

Fancy Quality definitely has some broodmare value given she’s by top European sire Wootton Bassett (GB) (who is commanding a €300,000 stud fee in 2025) and from a deep female family, however there is probably not significant upside in attempting to get her in foal to sell later in the year due to the added expenses/carrying costs. There is also not much point in holding her until the fall and then selling her open (without being bred).

We expect to get a follow-up report once bidding has opened for the sale.

Fancy Quality has been RETIRED!

 Our Wootton Bassett filly has been retired following a series of setbacks. We'll update with more news on where she'll be headed once it's decided.

Fancy Quality Entered for January 25th

Fancy Quality has been entered to run Saturday Jan. 25 at Fair Grounds. She’ll be the #9 in race 7, a maiden special weight event going 1 1/16 miles on the lawn. 

There is no precipitation in the forecast for New Orleans next weekend—fingers crossed it remains that way so we will not have to worry about another off-the-turf event. 

Best wishes for a safe and productive race to our daughter of Wootton Bassett this week.

FOLLOW UP: The race came off the turf due to weather, and Fancy Quality was scratched. Hopefully she'll be pointed to another race with better weather conditions soon.

Fancy Quality Workout Report

Fancy Quality returned to the work tab on Sunday morning, covering a half mile in :50.80 at the Fair Grounds. This work was delayed a few days due to the weather and track conditions. No workouts were permitted on Friday, Jan. 10, and track conditions were still listed as good on Saturday, Jan. 11.

The newest condition book was recently released, and we have a new race target on Jan. 25. The maiden special weight will be for fillies and mares three years old and upward and will be contested over a mile and one-sixteenth on the turf. There is plenty of rain in the forecast next week, but the 14-day weather report looks positive for her race.

Fancy Quality Update

After a brief pit stop at trainer Kenny McPeek's Magdalena Farm, Fancy Quality is reportedly moving much better and has already shipped to Fair Grounds. She will aim for a turf sprint maiden special weight there slated for December 7th. 

Fancy Quality Update

Fancy Quality had her final breeze in preparation for next Friday’s race at Belmont at the Big A, covering five furlongs in 1:03.69. 

Our daughter of Wootton Bassett worked in company with stablemate Bottomless Mimosa. 

Pending all is well in the morning, Fancy Quality will be entered tomorrow for the maiden special weight on October 18th.

FOLLOW UP NOTE: The race was not carded for 10/18. Hopefully it will be on the card for the following week. We'll update when we receive more info. 

Fancy Quality's Impressive Debut on Saturday Got Lost in the Shuffle

Fancy Quality had a very impressive debut. Unfortunately, it was the same day Seize The Grey won the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby and her effort got a little lost in the shuffle. So circling back...

FANCY QUALITY had a very nice debut at Belmont at the Big A (Aqueduct) Saturday! She came from last and made a monster run approaching the wire to take 3rd by only about half a length! What an absolutely HUGE move! Even her jockey was impressed. 

Can't wait for her next start! 

This is our imported daughter of top Euro sire, Wootton Bassett, who's kids are making quite a bit of noise both here and across the pond. This girl has had her share of setbacks that got her to the track late in her 3YO year, but what an entrance she made for her first start! 

The man who scouted her out at a sale in France is also her trainer, and just happened to win both the Kentucky Derby (with Mystic Dan) and Kentucky Oaks (with Thorpedo Anna, who will possibly be the 3YO Eclipse Champion this year), Kenny McPeek. :)

Fancy Quality Workout Report

Fancy Quality breezed five furlongs in 1:04.21 this morning over the Belmont training track. This week she breezed in company with a stablemate from Argentina, Dia Estelar. 

We remain on target for her debut on September 21st at Belmont at the Big A and your daughter of Wootton Bassett will have one additional breeze next Saturday in preparation.

Fancy Quality Runs a Strong Work from the Gate

Fancy Quality seems to be coming online as she runs a strong work, 4th fastest of 116 on the Belmont dirt training track. Her time of 48.52 for 4F starting from the gate is be far the sharpest work we've seen from our daughter of Wootton Bassett in some time. 

Belmont Park 8/31/2024  Dirt training    4F    48.52     Breezing/gate   4/116 

If we receive a report from trainer Kenny McPeek, we'll post it here. 

Workout Update 9/1/2024

Fancy Quality returned to the work tab yesterday morning with a sharp half mile drill in :48.52, returning as the fourth quickest from 116 workers over the Belmont training track. 

We spoke with trainer Kenny McPeek this morning who reported, our daughter of Wootton Bassett is doing well and should be ready to run later this month. Kenny has his eye on a six furlong turf maiden special weight on September 21st at Belmont at the Big A which would give our filly two more works.

Fancy Quality Breezed at Belmont Park

Fancy Quality transitioned to Belmont Park last week and breezed four furlongs this past Friday over the training track. She was credited with a final time :49.77. 

She breezed in company with an unraced French-bred colt, Chou Chou d’Aven, who was purchased from the same French sale as Fancy Quality. 

She should return to the work tab later this week and we will follow up with more information.

Fancy Quality Update

Fancy Quality remains in good order at Keeneland, recently moving over to trainer Kenny McPeek’s barn on Rice Road at Keeneland. She has picked up galloping as of late and shouldn’t be far away from a breeze.

UPDATE

Fancy Quality was back on the work tab 8/3/24, breezing three furlongs in :38.80 over the Keeneland all weather training track. Trainer Kenny McPeek said the training track at Keeneland has been very beneficial for her. 

She will remain on a weekly work schedule pending all things continue in good order after each work.

Fancy Quality Update

Fancy Quality transitioned back to Keeneland last week where she has begun jogging and is due to be rechecked by Dr. Landry in the next few days. Stable Manager Alan Shell reported she was moving and doing well prior to leaving Magdalena. We don’t imagine it will take her long to pick things up pending clearance from Dr. Landry. 

Fancy Quality Update

We were sent photos of Fancy Quality while on turnout at Magdalena Farm in Lexington. The daughter of Wootton Bassett transitioned to a small paddock and is doing well according to the team at the farm. 

Pending everything continues in good order, our 3YO remains on schedule to be re-evaluated on July 1st. We will follow up with more news then. 

Fancy Quality Update

Our Wootton Bassett filly was originally being pointed to the Kentucky Oaks but seemed to have lost her way. Ironically, her trainer, Kenny McPeek, did indeed win the Kentucky Oaks this year--but with Thorpedo Anna. 

Fancy Quality is enjoying her down time at Magdalena Farm in Lexington, KY and is currently on the equiciser for 30 minutes, twice a day. She will begin turn outs next week where she will spend 6-10 hours each day in an outdoor paddock. 

Fancy Quality Off the Clock

Fancy Quality was preparing for her debut, but will now be put on rest and is "off the clock" for an indeterminate amount of time. We wish her well on her R&R and hope she gets her shot at a debut when she's ready. Meanwhile, her trainer won both the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby this past weekend. Many congrats to Kenny McPeek and his entire team. 

Fancy Quality Update

Fancy Quality has progressed to galloping at Silverleaf Hills Training Center and has remained in good order. The MRH team will be in Ocala mid-month for the upcoming OBS April sale and will follow up with her training then.

 

Fancy Quality: The Story of Sunday Silence

Fancy Quality's second dam, Danuta, was sired by Sunday Silence, giving the great Japanese sire considerable influence in her pedigree. 

How unfortunate that this accomplished horse was not considered "commercially viable" to American breeders. As the saying goes, our loss was Japan's gain. Maybe it's a blessing that his blood is now carried in the breed through great sons like Deep Impact. Someday our loss will come back to haunt us when a descendant of Sunday Silence wins the Kentucky Derby or Triple Crown. That day may be coming soon. 

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Article written by @CWCPCCL "Lexi" via X

Sunday Silence’s beginnings were less than auspicious.  Foaled in Kentucky at Stone Farm in 1986, he survived a near-lethal virus as a weanling.  His conformation—knock-kneed and pigeon-toed—was less than ideal, and so when he was originally up for sale as a yearling at Keeneland in Kentucky and Hollywood Park in California, no one bought him. 

En route to his planned return in Kentucky after these disappointments, the driver of his transport van suffered a fatal heart attack, flipping the vehicle.  Miraculously, Sunday Silence emerged more or less unscathed, and went back to California to train under Charlie Whittingham.  

His racing career got off to a positive start—as a 2 year old, he broke his maiden (won his first race) on his second try.  Heading into Kentucky Derby season in 1989, he won the San Felipe Handicap and Santa Anita Derby—the latter by 11 lengths.

That was when things started to get interesting!  Sunday Silence was now pitted against Easy Goer, the Champion 2 Year Old of the previous year and favorite for the Kentucky Derby.  Despite a slow pace, a sloppy track, and several bumps, it was Sunday Silence who prevailed, winning the 1989 Kentucky Derby with Pat Valenzuela up.  Onward he went, to Pimlico and the Preakness.

What followed was one of the most thrilling races of the 1980s Battling desperately down the stretch, Sunday Silence and Easy Goer hit the wire as nearly one.  Again, though, it was Sunday Silence who came out on top.  He was now primed for a potential Triple Crown.  Alas, it was not to be.  In their next meeting, at the Belmont Stakes, Easy Goer romped, coming out on top by 8 lengths and running what was at the time the fastest Belmont behind Secretariat’s.

The pair would meet for a final time in the 1989 Breeder’s Cup Classic.  Following a second place finish in the Swaps Stakes and a win in the Super Derby in Louisiana, Sunday Silence prepared to face off against his rival at Gulfstream Park.  A massive burst of energy propelled Easy Goer forward at the very end of the stretch, but Sunday Silence held on to his previously established lead, winning the Classic.  For his efforts, Sunday Silence was voted Champion 3 Year Old Male and Horse of the Year.

Sunday Silence continued to race as a 4 year old, but an injured ligament forced his retirement.  He was sold to Kenya Yoshida, owner of the Shadai Stallion Station, in Hokkaido, Japan.  There Sunday Silence lived out his days, becoming Japan’s leading sire for 13 years straight.  He died in 2002, but left an indomitable mark on the world of Thoroughbred racing, both via his personal accomplishments and through his stud career. 

Sunday Silence

Fancy Quality
Wootton Bassett x One Last Night
Dam is by Elusive Quality x Danuta by Sunday Silence

Fancy Quality Update

Fancy Quality is back jogging at Silverleaf Hills Training Center in Ocala, Florida. Shaun Charlton passed along this video of her on the track this morning and reported it shouldn’t be too long before she gets into the groove of light galloping. 

Our daughter of Wootton Bassett received approximately 60 days off after having to be scratched a few days before her targeted debut on January 18th. Following a full 30 days of turn out, she was cleared to resume under tack and all remains well at this stage.

Screenshot from a video

Happy "Actual" Birthdays This Week!

           - Pioneer Prince ~ Foaled February 11, 2020

           - Isle Blue ~ Foaled February 12, 2022

           - Seismic Beauty ~ Foaled February 12, 2021

           - Fancy Quality ~ Foaled February 17, 2021