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   2010 STARTS OFF LUCKY FOR ELITE STABLES

January 14, 2010 – Las Vegas, NV- One of the better stories in ELITE STABLES history is about to come to a happy and productive conclusion as LUCKY MAMA, one of our most successful runners, will go through the sales ring at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales mixed sale in central Florida on January 19. LUCKY MAMA is catalogued as hip No. 6 in the sale.

LUCKY MAMA was bred last spring to D’WILDCAT, the rising young sire in whom ELITE has ownership shares. D’WILDCAT was a terrific racehorse, winning such major events as the DeFrancis Dash and Churchill Downs Handicap, but his most lasting mark is being made as the sire of fast and precocious runners. His top 2-year-old of 2009, D’FUNNYBONE, captured such major events as the Saratoga Special and the Futurity at Belmont Park. Clearly, the fact that our mare is in foal to such a brilliant sire is a major plus.

ELITE STABLES acquired LUCKY MAMA as a 3-year-old from the high-profile connections of breeder-owner Mike Pegram and trainer Bob Baffert on May 22, 2008, for a mere $12,500. She subsequently raced 8 times for ELITE when based primarily on the East Coast with trainer Mark Shuman. Aside from several other fine efforts, her most noteworthy finishes were a victory in a starter-allowance at Philadelphia Park in August 2008 and a runner-up finish to the highly regarded J Z WARRIOR in the Light Hearted Stakes the following month at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. That stakes placing in the Light Hearted can be expected to increase her residual value as a broodmare, since breeding industry experts are always on the alert for what is known as “black type.”

LUCKY MAMA earned nearly $90,000 in her 16-race career, most of it for ELITE. Now a 5-year-old mare, she was sired by El CORREDOR and produced by Inexcessivelylucky. That pedigree is notable in at least one major respect: Inexcessivelylucky was the result of the mating of IN EXCESS and GUILDED TIMES, which makes her a full sister to the mare CONTROLLED.  BEAR NOW, the Canadian champion who was retired this fall after earning more than $1.15 million, was produced by the mating of the great sire TIZNOW and the mare CONTROLLED, which means LUCKY MAMA is closely related to BEAR NOW, given they were produced by full sisters.

In other ELITE news, the stable recently agreed to a deal that transfers ownership rights of five Pennsylvania bred weanlings to Carol Smith, terms were not disclosed. ELITE STABLES retains its 40% breeders rights of these weanlings and they will race in Pennsylvania where slot-fueled purses have made the racing and breeding programs among the most alluring in North America.  With highly popular racinos dotting the landscape, purses at Pennsylvania tracks have risen steadily in recent years, surpassing those at more tradition-laden states such as Maryland, while also bolstering the state’s once moribund breeding program. The five yearlings are believed to have bright futures. Kenton Stalhiem Jr., an accomplished horseman who has been active in Pennsylvania and West Virginia in recent seasons, has been charged with the oversight of the young talent

That’s it for now . . . . Happy New Year, one we hope will be another good one for ELITE!

 YESTERDAYS BREEDERS CUP WINNERS AND TOMORROWS WINNERS FOR SALE

 ELITE STABLES SPRINGS FORWARD INTO FALL!

October 2, 2009 - Las Vegas, NV - Even though autum always brings cooler weather ELITE STABLES and their connections are starting to heat up.  ELITE STABLES's record breaking trainer Mike Maker is leading the way with three stakes wins in just eight days.  The recent stakes flurry began with a runaway victory by WILLIAM'S KITTEN in the $148,000 Sunday Silence on the Sept. 19 Super Derby undercard at Louisiana Downs. Then came scores within just a few hours of each other on the following Saturday, Sept. 26: FUTURE PROSPECT continued his dominance within the older New York-bred ranks by easily taking the Jazzing Around at Belmont Park, while FURTHEST LAND came through with a gutsy performance in capturing the Grade 2, $195,000 Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park.  As of Oct. 1, Maker had won 119 races for earnings of just more than $3 million, and he figures to surpass his career highs in both categories (140 wins, $3.2 million), which he set last year.  Maker said he has set his sights on a productive fall. 

The only thing hotter than Mike Maker might be the Florida based stallion D’WILDCAT.  His two year old son D’FUNNYBONE continues to laugh at his competition.   In his latest conquest, he surged past pacesetter HEAR YE HEAR YE approaching the stretch and shook free to a dominant victory in the $250,000 Futurity Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park

.D’FUNNYBONE entered off a 10½-length romp in the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) on August 20 at Saratoga Race Course. The D’WILDCAT colt’s 4 3/4-length victory in the Futurity solidified his credentials as a leading contender for the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) on November 7 at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita Park meeting. 

ELITE BILLY will also make her first start this fall.  She is named after Billy Ashabraner the author who has been a consultant for ELITE STABLES for the last several years.  She might have already made a trip to the winners circle, but kicked the stall just minutes before her first race, and had to be scratched.  The freak accident kept her from running last month, but she is fully recovered and will make it to the gate later this October.

The iron horse, HOT N' DUSTY is well positioned to claim her first stakes victory.   On Saturday, October 3rd at Santa Anita she will try to improve on her nearly three hundred thousand dollars in earnings this year when she goes postward in the California Cup Matron Handicap.  The race looks to set up for her closing kick.  She should be tough to deny down the stretch.  She is the number five horse in the second race.  The Regular pilot Alexis Solis will be aboard for the ride.  The race goes at 12:30 Pacific and can be viewed nationally on TVG.

SEPTEMBER BRINGS FIRST STARTS & STAKES CHECKS FORELITE STABLES

September 11, 2009 - Elmont, NY – Record-breaking trainer Mike Maker has the New York bred filly named ELITE BILLY ready to make her first start at Belmont Park.  If her pedigree is any indication she should be competitive as she is closely related to multiple stakes winners FABULOUS FROLIC and JELLY ROLL JIVE.  Based on her body type and running style the ELITE STABLES management team believes she will be better served going a longer distance and has the potential to make some noise on the turf.  The race today is being viewed as a learning experience for the filly.   

ELITE BILLY is named after Billy Ashabraner, a consultant for ELITE STABLES over the last several years.  Mr.Ashabraner was a leading trainer earlier in his career and known by industry insiders as a great horseman.  Mr. Ashabraner is the author of the book, Insights Into Racing (2009 Chicago Spectrum Press).  The ELITE STABLES management team respects the ability of Ashabraner to spot a talented horse and his no-nonsense approach to the evaluation process.  Mr. Ashabraner brought ELITE BILLY to the attention of the stables management team and all involved are hoping for a positive showing today.  ELITE BILLY is the five horse today at Belmont in race six.  The race goes to post at 3:40 EST, and can be viewed nationally on TVG, and HRTV.

While one filly gears up for her debut, another is cashing stakes checks and a colt is fighting his way back to the races.  The Iron Horse, HOT N' DUSTY finished a game second in the Adoration Stakes at Del Mar on Labor Day near San Diego, CA.  She has nearly earned three-hundred thousand dollars in sixteen races this year for trainer Barry Abrams. ELITE STABLES is a proud partner in the career of HOT N’ DUSTY.  The opposite of an Iron Horse like HOT N DUSTY is the lightly raced HOME OF THE GOLD.  He is coming off of the second extended layoff of his short career.   His first long layoff occurred because several chips in an ankle had to be removed.  He slowly made a comeback from that injury and won three races against low-level starter allowance competition at Philadelphia Park forELITE STABLES.  In his last race in February of this year he suffered a fracture to his left front shin that required surgery. ELITE STABLES considered retiring the often injured colt but HOME OF THE GOLD wanted no part of retirement.  As anyone can see by his recent string of workouts this horse loves to run but it’s likely that his heart stronger than his legs.  He has fully healed from his injuries but horses his age don’t get faster following bone chips and fractures and any competitive effort would be considered a success.    
 
In breeding news, the Florida based stallion D'WILDCAT is making headlines with his son D’FUNNYBONE.  The two-year-old crushed the field in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special with more than a ten length victory!  TheELITE STABLES management team was a big fan of D’WILDCAT as a race horse and was certain he would be an excellent producer of talent.  When the rare opportunity to partner with Vinery and D’WILDCAT presented itself,ELITE STABLES couldn’t refuse.  D’WILDCAT has delivered on the high expectations and has been a very busy stallion.  ELITE STABLES is also a big fan of mares that are daughters of the great WOODMAN and thought they would match up well with D’WILDCAT.  Acting a well thought out hunch, the stable purchased LADY WOODMAN in Southern California and sent her to Florida along with two other fast mares for dates with
D’WILDCAT. From Florida the mares were shipped to Pennsylvania and the end result is a three strong weanlings, one having a similar breeding line to that of D’FUNNYBONE, all three poised to take advantage of the lucrative Pennsylvania-bred purses in 2011.   In addition, LUCKY MAMA the stakes-placed El CORREDOR mare is in foal to D'WILDCAT and expecting a fast baby in early 2010.  LUCKY MAMA is a close relative of the great BEAR NOW. 

8/1/09 Summer is in full swing forELITE STABLES

You know summer is in full swing when Saratoga, and Del Mar open their prestigious race meets.  This weekend promises to be full of excitement as the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes winners will all be in action, along withELITE STABLES and LRF Racing's HOT N' DUSTY.

 On Saturday August 1st, MINE THAT BIRD will try to get back into winner's circle when he goes postward in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby.  He should be a heavy favorite, and the race goes at approximately 5:45 EST.  The following day things get even more exciting as HOT N' DUSTY will try to push her lifetime earnings to over 200k when she runs in an allowance race at a mile on turf.  It will be a bit of a homecoming for her as the race will run at Del Mar which is where she started her successful career.  HOT N' DUSTY runs in race 3, and will break from post 1.  The race goes at 6:00 EST and can be viewed live on TVG.

Don't change the channel after Dusty's race because the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational will be run just minutes after she crosses the wire. The Haskell will be run at Monmouth Park in New Jersey and will feature Preakness winner RACHEL ALEXANDER squaring off against the Belmont Stakes winner SUMMER BIRD.  Last year's Haskell was won by BIG BROWN, andELITE STABLES own HADAVISION won the very next race completing a late daily double that paid almost $50.

Later in the month ELITE STABLES will be in action again when ELITE BILLY makes her race debut for trainer Mike Maker.  You never know how a horse is going to run in its debut, but if her pedigree is any indication she will have every chance for success.  ELITE BILLY's female family was loaded with/ talent as she is kin to multiple stakes winners FABULOUS FROLIC, and JELLY ROLL JIVE to just name a few.  Mike has not picked out a race yet, but since she is a New York bred she will be running in that state to take advantage of the lucrative state bred purses.

VICTORIES AND BABIES FORELITE STABLES IN MAY

ELITE STABLES gearing up for the Triple Crown

ELITE STABLES also has a filly running on Kentucky Derby Day.  HOT N' DUSTY a four year old filly by top California sire UNUSUAL HEAT will run in race 8, a 50k allowance race at Hollywood Park.  She is owned in partnership with LRF, and will try to push her lifetime earnings over 150k.  TVG will broadcast the race at 2:44 EST, (about an hour before the Derby) and she will be the # 9 horse.  Go Dusty!

The Kentucky Derby is just the start of the excitement this May for ELITE STABLES. ELITE STABLES had three horses hit the board over Preakness weekend last year, including the Skipit Stakes with ACINONYX.  That success is the reason why ELITE STABLES decided to team up with Pimlico for the second jewel of the triple crown.  So after you're done rooting for FREISAN FIRE in the Kentucky Derby, look for the ELITE STABLES sign on the track at the Preakness.

ELITE newsletter for April

The month of March certainly came in like a lion for ELITE STABLES!  Entering the month on a 3-race win streak, that number was stretched to 5 when He’s Fargone won at Turfway Park on March 1 and Deca prevailed 10 days later at Penn National.  LAWBREAKER’s game second place finish on March 9 capped the run making it an unbelievable 5 wins and 2 seconds in ELITE STABLES last 7 starts!

Overall, ELITE was steady-as-she-goes throughout the rest of the month, registering 2 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third and 1 fourth from a total of 7 starts in March, with the only off-the-board finish being a fifth by HADAVISION in a rugged running of the $50,000 Queen Stakes at Turfway on the March 21 Lane’s End Stakes undercard. Speaking of HADAVISION, the hard-trying 4-year-old filly is entered in a $62,000 allowance/optional claiming race on opening day (Friday, April 3) of the 15-day spring meet at picturesque Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

HADAVISION, with Shaun Bridgmohan riding for trainer Mike Maker, drew the favorable outside post position in a field of 8 fillies and mares. Entered for the $80,000 claiming option, she is listed as a 6-1 chance on the Keeneland morning line in the six-furlong Polytrack race. For those of you never fortunate enough to have had the Keeneland experience, treat yourself to a look-see at this race Friday (post time, 4:05 p.m. Eastern), either in person or by simulcast or through TVG . . . and if you have been to Keeneland, by all means, you know what a feather in the cap another victory would be for ELITE STABLES at the historic track.

“She came out of the Queen in good order,” said Maker, the former D. Wayne Lukas assistant who is looking forward to productive meets at Keeneland, which runs through April 24, and the subsequent 10-week spring meet at Churchill Downs. “Hopefully she’ll run her race and be right there with some real nice fillies.”

In other ELITE news from racetracks around the country:

DECA was purchased privately after running a good third in a March 25 route at Penn National. ELITE STABLES management hated to see him go, but the offer was too good to pass up.

HE’S FARGONE  is being shipped west to Sunland Park.  The race tracks in New Mexico offer races at shorter distances which will make his lightning fast speed hard to beat.

Meanwhile, from the breeding farms, ELITE is proud to announce three new arrivals!!!

On March 1, one of our former racemares, LADY WOODMAN, had a chestnut colt by D’WILDCAT.  Another of our former racemares, WIRED FOR SUCCESS, had a bay filly by Fire Slam on March 25. And just two days later after that, another ELITE mare, PUNCH MARYLAND, foaled a chestnut colt by TRUST N LUCK.

In all cases, mother and foal are reported to be doing just fine . . . and it’s been great to see such good-looking babies by both D’WILDCAT and FIRE SLAM, in whom ELITE owns several shares!

In other farm news, GENTLEMEN, well into his second year of standing at stud in Louisiana, continues to be in high demand among the state’s breeders at ELITE THOROUGHBREDS in Folsom, La. GENTLEMEN, the Argentine import who earned more than $3.6 million in a spectacular racing career, covered more than 40 mares in 2008, with statistics incomplete for the ongoing breeding season.

That’s all for now . . . remember to tune in April 3 to Keeneland to cheer on HADAVISION . . . and we’ll see you in the winner’s circle!!!

 March 1, 2009

February is a month that is short on days, but ELITE STABLES certainly was not short on wins!  The well managed stable sent five horses to the starting gate, and the public’s respect made all of them post time favorites.  The horses did the rest as ELITE STABLES ROLLS into March on an impressive three race win streak!

HADAVISION, the stable’s two-time stakes-winning 4-year-old filly, rebounded from a tough allowance loss at Laurel Park to post a sweet three-length victory in a six-furlong, allowance/$40,000 claiming race on Valentine’s Day at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky.  She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 85, second-highest of her 12-race career.

Then, on Feb. 24, HOME OF THE GOLD captured a starter-allowance race when stretched back out around two turns at Philadelphia Park, prevailing as the 6-5 favorite while earning a 114 equibase speed figure.

And the very next day, Feb. 25, LAW BREAKER was a winner at Penn National, getting up in the final yards to take a “never-won-3” conditioned claiming race at a mile and 70 yards as the 3-2 favorite.

Using that terrific momentum, ELITE is looking to have an even more productive month in March.  HE’S FARGONE will try to keep the win streak in place when he runs in race 9 at Turfway Park at approx 4:56est.  The speedy gelding will be the # 3 horse, and the race can be viewed live on TVG.

HADAVISION, trained by the longtime former D. Wayne Lukas assistant Mike Maker, is pointing for the $50,000 Queen Stakes on the March 21 Lane’s End undercard at Turfway. Maker, who is dominating the Turfway standings in the aftermath of his record-setting 2008 fall meet at Churchill Downs, said the daughter of Vision and Verse came out of her recent win “in great shape,” as evidenced by her Feb. 28 breeze in 49.60 seconds over the Turfway Polytrack.

Trainer Mark Shuman said he is taking a “wait and see attitude” with HOME OF THE GOLD. The 4-year-old Came Home colt, said Shuman, “ran three times in a seven-week span, and I’m thinking of giving him a short breather. He’s eligible for a lot of spots, so we won’t have any trouble finding one for him here on the East Coast once we’re ready to roll.”

LAW BREAKER, said Shuman, will come back soon in a claiming race at a yet-to-be-determined track, “definitely going two turns,” when gunning for a second straight triumph. The 5-year-old Silver Deputy horse was returning from a 60-day layoff when scoring at Penn last out.

In other stable news, DECA will be looking to rebound off a sub-par effort when running back in “something similar” to the $10,000-N3L conditions of his last start, said Shuman. Deca was the 2-1 favorite in a Feb. 7 Philly Park route when he attended the pace before fading to fifth

Meanwhile, in ELITE STABLES news away from the racetrack . . .

ELITE is extremely pleased to announce that our classy black-type filly LUCKY MAMA is being sent this breeding season to the promising young sire D’WILDCAT. A 4-year-old filly by El Corredor, LUCKY MAMA was claimed for $12,500 last May from her original owner, Mike Pegram, and eventually won an allowance race while also posting 3 runner-up finishes, including one in a Monmouth Park stakes, from her 8 starts for the stable.

LUCKY MAMA hails directly from the same female family that produced BEAR NOW, a multiple graded winner of nearly $1.1 million. In dissecting their pedigrees, BEAR NOW is out of the mare CONTROLLED, who was produced by GUILDED TIMES. The dam of LUCKY MAMA is INEXCESSIVELYLUCKY, who also is out of GUILDED TIMES and is therefore a half-sister to ELITE STABLES.

ELITE, it must be noted, is a part-owner in D’WILDCAT, an 11-year-old stallion who stands at the Florida division of VINERY. By FOREST WILDCAT, D’WILDCAT won three graded stakes in his career, most notably the Grade 1 Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash at Laurel in 2002.

In other breeding news, ELITE is pleased to report that GENTLEMEN, the Argentine standout who won more than $3.6 million, has settled in beautifully at ELITE THOROUGHBREDS in Folsom, La., where last year the multiple Grade 1 winner covered almost 40 mares and is proving highly popular with the state’s breeders in 2009.

GENTLEMEN’S first Louisiana foal, a yearling filly named VAN BLADES, continues to flourish on the picturesque grounds of the farm, where she recently was joined by the first two sucklings from the crop of 2009.

That’s all for now from ELITE . . . See you in the winner’s circle!!

ELITE STABLES January Recap and February Outlook

February 6, 2009 - Las Vegas, NV

January was a bitter cold month for most of the country, but not for ELITE STABLES.  As predicted, PADACH the 4YO filly by YANKEE VICTOR rolled to a gaudy eight length victory on January 3rd at Laurel Park.  She won so decisively that the leading owner in the country Michael Gill claimed her in her next start just ten days later.  Ultra consistent DECA kept the momentum going by hitting the board in both of his races.  He finished a valiant 3rd at Laurel in his first outing on January 9Th after getting stopped on two different occasions.  DECA bounced right back to take down second place money forELITE STABLES in his next start at Penn National.

Perhaps the best performance in January came from ELITE STABLE'S rising star HOME OF THE GOLD.   Asked to go two turns for the first time in his career, he overcame a slow pace and a tight trip to just miss in an allowance race at Philadelphia Park on January 6th.  The second place check moved his career earning to over $42,000.  Trainer Mark Shuman said "the jock had a tough time pulling him up after the race...he wanted to go around again!" 

February looks to be just as exciting, and also will bring a few changes.  Churchill Downs record breaking trainer Mike Maker will be teaming up with the professionals at ELITE STABLES.  Director of Racing Operations Gary Sadowski said "Mike is a proven winner, and this move will keep us from missing a beat when we need to run in the Midwest."  Look for Mike to help LUCKY MAMA, HADAVISION, and GONE CALIFORNIAN all find the winner's circle at Turfway Park by months end.

Others in the stable will not have to wait as long.  On February 7th DECA will try to follow up his third and second place finishes with a victory in the 7th race at Philadelphia Park at 2:56 PM EST.  Approximately an hour later the speedy HESFARGONE will try to secure a victory at yet another track for ELITE STABLES.  He is scheduled to run at Beulah Park in Ohio in their 7th race as well.  Sunday February 8th HOME OF THE GOLD will try to make it three wins out of his last four races when he tackles allowance foes at Philadelphia Park.  He will run at 1:38 PM EST in their fourth race.

The HES FARGONE race can be viewed at most major simulcast facilities across the country.  Both DECA and HOME OF THE GOLD's  races can be seen at www.phildelphiapark.com or http://espn.go.com/horse/liveracing07.html.

See you in the winner's circle!

ELITE STABLES January Outlook

January 2, 2009  -  Las Vegas, NV  -  December was a month that didn’t have much action for ELITE STABLES.  Bad weather caused three races to be cancelled two of which ELITE STABLES had the morning line favorite.  LAW BREAKER, GONE CALIFORNIAN and MOSTLY PEACE all ran very nice races and scored in the money finishes for ELITE in December.

January looks to be a month that will start off a victory for Elite.  PADACH, the 4YO filly by YANKEE VICTOR looks to dominate at Laurel Park on 1/3 in race 2, she is the 4 horse and post time is 1:03 EST.  She is a very fast filly that will be even faster on the dirt surfaces in the Mid-Atlantic.  She is the 8/5 morning line favorite that has been aggressively placed in a maiden claiming race by Elite.

HADAVISION, once the star of the stable has fallen on tough times as of late.  After winning at Monmouth in September she needed about 3 months off to overcome a soft tissue injury.  She returned to the races on December 14th in a optional claiming race at Aqueduct and didn’t run well due to being bumped very hard on her right side, this is always a potential issue for her since she is missing her right eye.  Being bumped caused her to stumble and almost fall down.  She was very sore following the race and is now at the point where workouts do more harm than good.  ELITE planned on retiring her following her September injury but it was discovered that she is not fertile and cannot reproduce.  She has a couple good races left and ELITE has decided to race her in easier races for the rest of her career.    She is entered in race 5 at Laurel Park on 1/7, post time 2:26 EST and she has drawn the 8 post.  ELITE may decide to scratch her from the race because the MY PREFERED (horse in the 1 post) looks to be unstoppable in this race.  ELITE would rather not waste one of her last races in a spot where second place is the best she can do.

Keep an eye out for HOME OF THE GOLD to dominate a race somewhere in the Mid-Atlantic during the month of January

.

Contact:
Gary Sadowski, Director of Racing Operations
info@ELITEstables.com
1-800-220-1988
gary @ ELITEstables.com

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