It’s not often you go to a thoroughbred yearling sale and buy a sibling to a horse you own or previously owned but that’s exactly what happened on August 10, 2022. While attending the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, we (Woodford Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds, Chris Larsen) bought a yearling filly who was a full sister to a horse we were racing at the time.
The horse we were racing at the time was First Captain, a regally bred Curlin colt who won multiple graded stakes (Grade 3 Dwyer, Grade 3 Pimlico Special). First Captain won approximately $700,000 during his career and is now a stallion in Brazil.
After a spirited round of bidding, we purchased the filly at the Sale for $2 million. Our partnership was obviously not the only interested buyers familiar with her brother’s success, hence the price tag. The filly was named Sedona and she was sent to Florida shortly after the Sale to learn how to become a racehorse. While we had hopes she would begin her racing career in 2023 as a 2 year old, she took a little longer to develop.
On Saturday at Gulfstream Park, Sedona began her racing career in a 7F (7/8th’s of a mile) Maiden Special Weight race for 3 year old fillies. As the gates opened, Sedona hesitated slightly and spotted the field a length. Proceeding down the backstretch, it was evident Sedona did not like the dirt from the horses she was trailing being thrown in her face. Jockey Jose Ortiz took Sedona back about six lengths and guided her to the middle of the track to avoid the dirt kickback. As the field approached the top of the stretch, Sedona had 4 lengths to make up and a quarter of a mile to do it. It was clear Ortiz was confident he had the horse to close the gap and he expertly guided her to the outside for running room. Running the final eighth of a mile in 13.80 seconds, Sedona got up for the win!
I found the victory ironic in that First Captain and Sedona both:
- Were bred by Bobby Flay (yes, the chef and restaurateur)
- Won their first lifetime start at 3 years old
- Won racing 7F despite being bred for longer distances
- Were/are trained by Shug McGaughey
- Were guided to victory by Jose Ortiz
- Had/have two of the same owners (Woodford Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds)
Here’s hoping Sedona emulates or surpasses the success her brother had during his racing career!