Weekend notes

            The Open House scene in Pennsylvania and New Jersey has dwindled down over the years to a scant few farms, but if you’re in the mood to see a beautiful establishment and some nice horseflesh why not take a trip to Cream Ridge, N. J. for Birch Creek Farm’s Stallion Showcase this Sunday, Feb. 24, from noon until 3 p.m.

            Birch Creek, managed by Denise Williams, is standing three stallions for 2013: the newly-retired stakes winner Freud’s Honour; multiple stakes-placed March to Victory, a son of Dixieland Band, and Il Postino, an allowance-winning son of Distorted Humor and a half-brother to graded stakes winner Awful Smart.

Freud's Honour winning at Monmouth Park.

            The farm is located at 201 Rt. 539 in the heart of Cream Ridge, New Jersey’s horse country.

 

            It's good to see new stallions arriving in the Garden State, which has a proud history of thoroughbred racing and breeding, but has been hurt in recent years by the lack of expanded gaming outside of Atlantic City.

 

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            Since moving from Darley in Kentucky to Dr. William Solomon’s Pin Oak Lane Farm in New Freedom, Pa. for the 2013 breeding season, sons and daughters of Rockport Harbor have been winning at a rapid rate all across the country.

            Through racing of Feb. 22, the son of Unbridled’s Song is the #1 sire in Pennsylvania as well as in the Northeast, with $577,772 in progeny earnings.

            Among his winners this year are stakes-placed Sinai and Harbor Kid, plus Rocky Romano, Z Rockstar, Magic Harbor, Duke of Del Rey and Itzmin. His runner have won recently at Aqueduct, Parx, Tampa Bay Downs, Oaklawn Park, Laurel Park and Turfway Park.

            Rockport Harbor, an undefeated Gr. 2-winning juvenile, stands for $7,500, live foal.