Congratulations from MRH on Blue Devil's Win

With everything going on in horseracing this week, MRH was a bit slow to send this update, but we were happy to get it none-the-less. 

We witnessed the Sunland Derby referred to in the update below last February, where Alotaluck came in second, as mentioned. Ironically, our Preakness Champion, Seize The Grey, went on to face the winner, Stronghold, and 3rd place, Lucky Jeremy, in other stakes over the course of his 3YO campaign last year. 

Here's the memo from MRH:

What a performance! Blue Devil got the job done in style last Friday, cruising to victory in the Winsham Lad Stakes at Sunland Park. Breaking alertly, he put himself right in the mix early, pressing the pace while sitting confidently in the clear. As they turned for home, he edged his way to the front, showing his grit and determination to put away the pacesetter by midstretch and drawing off to win convincingly.

This was a strong showing, especially against a game runner-up who was hammered late in the betting and previously finished second in last year’s G3 Sunland Derby. This win is a testament to Blue Devil’s talent and heart, and we can't wait to see how his career progresses from here.

UPDATE/FOLLOW-UP:

Blue Devil continues to do well coming out of his win and is back at Sam Houston for the time being. We'll report back with next plans once we have them, but are in no rush at this stage. 

(An accompanying clip of Blue Devil jogging at Sam Houston (muddy track conditions) was included. )

Secret Crush Update

It's been awhile since we posted an update on this guy, but we're very pleased to have some good news. Secret Crush was one of two horses (the other being Seize The Grey) who was nominated to the Triple Crown series in 2024. He was showing huge promise under trainer Todd Pletcher, however he was apparently injured in a race at Keeneland last spring, when he ran a game 3rd in spite of the injury that most likely happened during the race. 

Since then, the MRH team gave him a lot of time off to recover and retrain, and made the decision to geld him for his own benefit as he was starting to put on bulk that could potentially stress his joints. This was a very tough choice to make due him being a son of top sire Candy Ride (sire of Gunrunner), and out of a daughter of Storm Cat and the phenomenal broodmare, Take Charge Lady, but the best interests of the horse had to be the first priority.

Later last year, he was sent to Highlander Training Center in Texas, the same farm responsible for Seize The Grey's freshening prior to his Triple Crown participation and win in the Preakness. 

The team checked in on Secret Crush yesterday at Highlander Training Center and was very pleased with the progress they saw. The gelding procedure appears to have been a benefit to him, keeping his weight under control. The Highlander team has had no issues since ramping up the intensity of his gallops and reported he is ready to breeze. The team recommended that they do a follow-up scan of his previous injury before beginning speed work, simply to check all the boxes, given the cautious path we have already taken. This information will only be beneficial to us as he continues on in his training, as well as helping to monitor any changes on the road ahead.

Catalyst Post Race Update

Catalyst has exited Saturday’s race in good order. She earned a 56 Beyer Speed Figure—one point above what she received on seasonal debut. It’s pretty fair to say that the class relief moving from Oaklawn to Sam Houston was as big a factor in her improved finish position as anything, but at least we now know that she’ll handle multiple surfaces. 

The current Sam Houston book only goes through Feb. 23 and the next running of the turf route MSW comes up very quick on Feb. 15, but we’ll let Steve tell us when she’s ready to go again.

Seismic Beauty Entered

We are thrilled to report Seismic Beauty has officially been entered for her return in Saturday's 8th race at Santa Anita Park. Our daughter of Uncle Mo drew post 7 (of 7) with Juan Hernandez returning to the irons. 

This looks like a great spot for Seismic Beauty and we can't wait to see her back in action. Post time is approximately 4:00 PM PT (5:00 PM MT).

Seize The Grey AND Broodmare Band Update

Seize the Grey is gearing up for his first year at stud at Gainesway Farm in Kentucky. Our dual Grade 1 winner does not yet have a completely full book of mares, but that is definitely not unusual at this point. He is expected to book full as the breeding season goes on.

Our son of Arrogate has attracted some very solid and intriguing mares, and we thought it would be fun to share some of the highlights of who he is confirmed to cover this year.

Goodnight Olive: Dual Eclipse champion, she was never off the board in 12 career starts. She won four Grade 1 races, including two editions of the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, and retired with career earnings of over $2.1 million. What an honor and a boon it will be to have her foal in "Ceasar's" first crop

Lady Pewitt: Although she only ran one race, she produced a 2016 foal named Jaywalk. That grey filly, by a son of Unbridled's Song in Cross Traffic, was named champion 2-year-old filly of 2018 off of romps in the G1 Frizette and G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Quickest: This influential Phipps Stable-bred mare is already the dam of Grade 1 winner Callback. She is also a half-sibling to Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, as well as graded stakes winners Cyrus Alexander (PA Derby champion, et al) and Brethren (Sam F. Davis Stakes, et al!).

Reachfortheheavens: Dam of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Real Solution.

Accomplished: Half-sibling to a champion 2-year-old in Canada by the name of Cairo Consort, who sold for $820K last June.

La Fee Verte: Her racing career saw her win just under $100,000 in purse money. However her half-sibling is D. Wayne Lukas-trained daughter of Arrogate, Secret Oath, winner of the 2022 G1 Kentucky Oaks before later selling for $3 million.

Lakeside: Half-sibling to brilliant dual Grade 1 winner Cave Rock (Arrogate), who in 2022 was victorious in both the G1 Del Mar Futurity and G1 American Pharoah S.

Madison Square: This unraced daughter of Medaglia d’Oro is a half-sibling to Classic winner and champion 3-year-old Arcangelo, the "other" promising young son of Arrogate at Stud.

Unrivaled Princess: This unraced filly is a full-sibling to two-time Eclipse winner Unique Bella. She's by Tapit, meaning her prospective foal by Seize the Grey will be bred on the same cross as the aforementioned Arcangelo.

And, of course, included in his first book are the four mares in the Seize The Grey Broodmare Band of which we are partners, which includes Community Assisted, who on January 21st already foaled a lovely filly by top sire Quality Road, as well as Chilean Champion and multiple graded winner, Joke Sisi, and two other nicely bred mares. 

We are looking forward with great excitement to see "Ceasar's" foals next year, which will be his first crop.

Caldera May be Coming to New Mexico Seeking Derby Points

We were quite shocked to read a recent BloodHorse article on D. Wayne Lukas's various Derby hopefuls, that our Liam's Map son, Caldera may be coming to New Mexico in a quest for points. The Coach indicated in the article that this was one possible path for him. Being based in New Mexico, we have mixed feelings on this, in that we'd love to see our colt run in person, but we also have a lot of doubts about the state of racing and the track conditions at Sunland, which tends to be a deeper, slower track. 

We're also concerned that the Sunland Park Derby was "demoted" last year and now awards only 20 points to the winner, unlike most of the other preps at this point which are awarding 50 (and pretty much a shoe-in to the Derby). On top of that, it will require quite an extensive transport to bring Caldera from Arkansas to southern New Mexico, which may not be the best scenario prior to a Derby prep.

On the flip side, over the years Bob Baffert, Steve Asmussen, Phil D'Amato and other top trainers have often shipped in to Sunland for a go at the sole Derby prep race based there, but most were back in the heydays when the Sunland Park Derby awarded 50 points. Phil D'Amato did bring Stronghold last year (with our filly Simply Enchanting in tow -- she placed in the Sunland Park Oaks the same day), and I believe Steve Asmussen also brought one of his hopefuls. 

We know Mr. Lukas always has a plan, and often his decisions are contrary to what he puts out in the press, so we'll wait to see if Caldera will indeed run at Sunland Park on February 16th. As we've said many times over the last 19 months (which produced a Preakness champion, multi-G1 winner and new Kentucky stallion for us), "In Coach we trust."

Broodmare Band - Community Adjusted and Foal Update

Seize the Grey Broodmare Band members Community Adjusted and her Quality Road filly foal have completed their round pen phase and ventured for the first time today into a small paddock, where the foal was able to stretch her legs and do some running. They will remain in this paddock until they are ready to be around other mares and foals, at which time they will be relocated to a larger paddock and paired up.

Both mare and foal have handled the foaling process well and come out of it in good order. The farm estimates that Community Adjusted should be ready to be bred back to Seize the Grey about a month from her prior foaling date, around the third week in February.