A battle at the top

The battle for supremecy among Pennsylvania's stallions has turned into a real ding-dong fight, even at this early point in the year.  A quick check at today's Keystone State sire list shows that Jump Start, who stands at Ghost Ridge Farms in York, has a $233 lead over Cat Thief, who holds court at Penn Ridge Farms in Harrisburg. 

Jump Start, a son of A. P. Indy, has total progeny earnings through May 3 of $712,537, while Cat Thief, a son of Storm Cat, has progeny earnings of $712,304.  Not far behind the top two is Toccet, a son of Awesome Again who stands at Dana Point Farm in Lenhartsville, with $706,614.

It should be noted, however, that the purse earnings of all three stallions were won by sons and daughters conceived while they stood in Kentucky.  Cat Thief's first Pennsylvania-bred foal was born this year, while Jump Start and Toccet won't have their first Pennsylvania-sired crops hit the ground until 2011.

We were fortunate enough to be at Ghost Ridge Farms yesterday and saw Jump Start breed a mare, one of nearly 140 that general manager Carl McEntee is forecasting he will cover this year.  If that's the number reported to The Jockey Club, then it will be the largest book of mares ever serviced by a stallion in the Keystone State.

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What's in a name?  Well, how's this for a clever combination - Bushwhacked, by Posse out of Run In.  "It's kind of a fun name," said Patti Miller of EQB, Inc. of West Grove, Pa.  EQB did the cardio and physicals on the colt at the 2009 OBS February Select Sale of 2-year-olds in training and purchased him, as agent, for $130,000.

But EQB was "left holding the bag," said Miller, when the party for whom they bought the colt did not pay, so he was offered to George Strawbridge, Jr., one of EQB's first and major clients.  EQB, which is owned and operated by Miller and Jeff Seder, has selected champions Forever Together and Informed Decision at auction for Strawbridge.   "George was very gracious, and said he'd love to have a colt," said Miller, "but unfortunately Bushwhacked is now a gelding.  We just loved him at the sale, and Jonathan Sheppard has done a great job with him."

Bushwhacked, who races in Strawbridge's Augustin Stable name, was second in the Gr. 2 Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 17 and was mentioned as a Preakness Stakes possibility, but has recently spiked a fever and now Sheppard is leaning towards not running him.  The Belmont Stakes on June 5 could be an option, or one of the stakes on the Belmont undercard.

Bushwhacked (left, in white silks and green cap) finishing second behind Exhi in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 17.  Photo by Mathea Kelley, available at The Blood-Horse.

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This 'N That: Godstone Farm in Pine Grove, Pa. has had its name changed to "Blackstone Farm," and is under new management.  More on this topic at a later date ... Dawn Newman of Fox Tale Stud in Coopersburg has sent two mares to Kentucky to be bred to one of her favorite horses, Smarty Jones.