October 17, 2012:
MULTIPLE GRADED STAKES WINNER SUN KING TO ELITE THOROUGHBREDS
SUN KING, a multiple grade II winner and multi-millionaire, arrived Oct. 17 for stallion duty at Michele Rodriguez and Lee Daniel Thomas' Elite Thoroughbreds near Folsom, La. A second-crop sire, 10-year-old SUN KING (Charismatic—Clever But Costly, by Clever Trick) will stand in 2013 for $3,500 live foal.

SUN KING won four graded stakes including the Commonwealth Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland at seven furlongs and the Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II). He was grade I stakes-placed all four years he raced and was multiple grade I-placed in three of them. He placed in eight grade I events including the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), the Champagne Stakes (gr. I), the Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I), and the Woodward Stakes (gr. I) twice. He earned $2,240,008.

SUN KING's 2012 progeny earnings of more than $800,000 places him in the runner-up spot on Louisiana's second-crop sires' list. Career-wise, SUN KING has sired three stakes horses and the earners of more than $1.1 million.

SUN KING formerly stood at Darby Dan Farm near Lexington.

November 21, 2011:
MULTIPLE GRADED STAKES WINNER MUSKET MAN TO ELITE THOROUGHBREDS
MUSKET MAN, who placed in the 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and the BlackBerry Preakness Stakes (gr. I), will stand at Michele Rodriguez’s Elite Thoroughbreds near Folsom, La. Formerly at Vinery Florida near Ocala, MUSKET MAN will stand for $2,500.
 
MUSKET MAN won the Illinois Derby (gr. II) and the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III) leading up to the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. During his career he won two other stakes and placed in six additional graded stakes, including the Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I), the Carter Handicap (gr. I), and the Whitney Handicap (gr. I).
 
“MUSKET MAN is by Yonaguska  , who formerly stood here at Elite, so we’re excited that we’re standing his classics-placed son,” Rodriguez said.
 
Five-year-old MUSKET MAN is out of the stakes-placed Fortunate Prospect mare Fortuesque.

January 11, 2011:
G2 WINNER MY PAL CHARLIE SIRES FIRST FOAL
MY PAL CHARLIE, record-setting winner of Super Derby XXIX (G2), sired his first foal on Jan. 11 when a dark bay colt was born at Elite Thoroughbreds in Folsom, La.

Bred by Chuck Ogle, the colt is out of the Fusaichi Pegasus mare Pegasus Rose, earner of nearly $100,000.

 

The 6-year-old MY PAL CHARLIE established a new stakes record in the Super Derby (G2), running 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.36 at Louisiana Downs. By Indian Charlie, MY PAL CHARLIE is the most accomplished performer from the Halo mare Shahalo, a multiple graded stakes-producer. He is a full-brother to Bwana Charlie, G2 winner and G1 sire, and half-brother to Bwana Bull (G3).

 

MY PAL CHARLIE retired to stud in 2010 with earnings of $762,519. He stood his first season in Louisiana at Elite, where he bred 72 mares. MY PAL CHARLIE is set to stand his second season at Elite for a fee of $3,000 stands and nurses.

July 4, 2010:
Courtesy of Woodbine Entertainment

TENPINS COLT WINS QUEEN'S PLATE!
BIG RED MIKE, ridden by Eurico Rosa da Silva, made every pole a winning one in taking the 151st edition of the $1 million Queen's Plate, Canada's most famous horse race for Canadian-foaled three-year-olds, Sunday at Woodbine.

Trained by Nick Gonzalez for Terra Racing Stable, BIG RED MIKE, a homebred chestnut gelded son of TENPINS - Regent n' Flashy,  took the field through an opening quarter in :24.43, the half in :49.39 and six furlongs in 1:14.31, while being dogged by Sam-Son Farm's Hotep and slight favourite Mobilizer.

After a mile was reached  in 1:38.74,  the top two positions still hadn't changed, as BIG RED MIKE loped along with a one length lead.   When the field turned for home, the front runner quickly opened up on his pursuers, then held Hotep safe through a prolonged stretch drive to win by one and one-half lengths in a final time of 2:04.89 for the mile and one-quarter over Woodbine's Polytrack.   

Second choice Roan Inish, winner of the recent Woodbine Oaks and one of two fillies in the field of 13, rallied for third, one and one-quarter lengths behind Hotep, while Giant's Tomb, another Sam-Son Farm hopeful, came on for fourth, a neck behind Roan Inish.  Meanwhile, Mobilizer faded to 10th.

With Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, attending the Plate for the fourth time (1959, 1973, 1997), da Silva thus became the first jockey to win back-to-back Plates since Craig Perret in 1992-93, when he won with Alydeed and Peteski.  Last year, da Silva was aboard the winner, Sam-Son Farm's Eye of the Leopard.

"He ran very relaxed, he gave me no problems," said da Silva. "He was so focused, you know.  I went to the lead easy and he did the job.  This horse ran so hard today. I'm just so proud of him.  I'm going to see the Queen today."

BIG RED MIKE, who outlasted Mobilizer by a half-length in the Plate Trial on June 13 with a similar front-running performance, thus became the 25th Plate Trial winner and third consecutive one (following Eye of the Leopard in 2009 and Not Bourbon in 2008) to claim the Queen's Plate.  He's also the first gelding to win since longshot T J's Lucky Moon captured the 'Gallop for the Guineas' in 2002.

For the 58-year-old Gonzalez, who celebrated his 1,000th career win last month, it was his first Plate win with his first Plate starter.  For owner Terra Racing Stable (Dom and Frank Romeo), it was their first Plate win as well, but the Romeos had entered several horses in past Plates, the latest being Classic Mike, who finished eighth in 2002.

"I'm pinching myself to see if this is real," said Gonzalez.   "I left it up to Eurico.  I thought it was going to be a jockey's race.  My wife (Martha), son and I were jumping up and down so much that it's just kind of a blur in my eye right now." 

"This will probably be one of the most memorable days of my life," added co-owner Dom Romeo. "I have been 35 years in racing and breeding. I bred this horse, which makes it much more satisfying. Our hopes are always to win the Queen's Plate and the Queen being here is magnificent. It's very exciting."

BIG RED MIKE picked up a pot of $600,000 for the historic win, pushing his career bankroll to $667,396.  It was his third win in only six career starts.

Sent postward the 5-1 third choice, BIG RED MIKE paid $12, $6.30 and $4.40, combining with fourth choice Hotep ($6.90, $4.70) for a $80.90 exactor.  A 5-11-10 (Roan Inish, $4.30 to show) triactor returned $284.20, while a $1 Superfecta [5-11-10-8 (Giant's Tomb)] lit the toteboard with a $1,375.80 payoff.

Now, it's onto the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, July 25 at Fort Erie, at one mile and three-sixteenths.    The third leg is the $500,000 Breeders' Stakes over one and one-half miles on the turf, August 15 at Woodbine.

Only seven horses have won the Triple Crown since its inception in 1959, the last being Wando in 2003.

June 13, 2010:
BIG RED MIKE WINS PLATE TRIAL
Courtesy of Woodbine Entertainment

Terra Racing Stable’s homebred BIG RED MIKE, ridden by Eurico Rosa da Silva, pulled off an upset Sunday at Woodbine in the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes.

The mile and one-eighth prelude to Canada’s most famous horse race, the Queen’s Plate on July 4, went postward with a field of eight, as the public hammered Hollinger, last year’s champion two-year-old colt/gelding, down to 7-5 favouritism.

But it was the Nick Gonzalez-trained BIG RED MIKE, a son of TENPINS, who led at every pole, although pressed by Hollinger and Mobthewarrior for much of the 68th edition of the Trial.

Turning for home, the Roger Attfield-trained Mobilizer cut to the rail to challenge the pacesetter as the duo hooked up for a heated stretch duel.   It looked like Mobilizer and Jono Jones would go right by the leader but BIG RED MIKE not only fought back, he inched away in the closing yards to win by a half-length in 1:50.41. 

Mobthewarrior hung on for third, another length and three-quarters back, but a half-length in front of fourth-place-finisher Giant’s Tomb.  Meanwhile, Hollinger faded to eighth and last, the worse performance of his brief career.

“It looked like it was a race without a lot of speed in it,” said Gonzalez. “Even though we tried to get him (BIG RED MIKE) to relax in the morning, it didn’t look like it was time to do that today, so we tried to let him ride his own race, and he did it.”

“You know what, he was walking so relaxed outside, but once he (BIG RED MIKE) came inside the track, he turned to, “I’m the Man”, that I really loved. He is just a great horse,” explained Rosa da Silva.

“He is very comfortable. You know, we did just a nice pace. The horse that came beside me (Mobilizer), he is a very, very, nice horse, but this horse fought so hard. I am very proud of him.”

The result could bode well for both horses.  Twenty-four Plate Trial winners have gone on to win the Queen’s Plate, while 11 runners-up have come back to claim the ‘Gallop for the Guineas.’

Watch the Plate Trial Video Replay

June 12, 2010:
FIRST WINNER FOR OSIDY
OSIDY, a graded stakes-winning son of Storm Cat, sired his first winner Friday night, when his 2-year-old filly CANDI'S KITTEN broke her maiden by a decisive 6  1/4 lengths in a $20,000 Trial at Evangeline Downs. The race was a qualifier for the $100,000 DS Shine Young Memorial Futurity to be run on July 3rd at Evangeline.
 
CANDI'S KITTEN was bred in Louisiana by B. Wayne Hughes, who raced OSIDY and stands him at Michelle Rodriguez's Elite Thoroughbreds in Folsom, LA. By Storm Cat out of the champion Seattle Dancer mare Que Belle, OSIDY won the Will Rogers S. (G3) at Hollywood Park at three and Blue Jay Way S. at Santa Anita at four. He was also Group-placed as a juvenile in Europe.
 
Making her second start, CANDI'S KITTEN tracked the early pace before drawing well clear in the Trial race, stopping the clock in 59.77 for five furlongs over a fast local main track. The final margin of victory was the largest from three Trial races for 2-year-old fillies on the card. In her debut, CANDI'S KITTEN was beaten just a neck in an open maiden special weight at Louisiana Downs on May 21st.
 
Trained by Lonnie Briley, the bay filly has earnings of $14,750 for owners Terri & Joey Gullo and Arnold Haynie, Jr., who purchased her for $7,000 as a yearling. CANDI'S KITTEN is out of the Distorted Humor mare Heavenly Psalm.
 
OSIDY stands at Elite for a fee of $2,000 S&N.

April 30, 2010:
ARSON SQUAD WINS G3 ALYSHEBA STAKES
Jay Em Ess Stable’s ARSON SQUAD, ridden by Paco Lopez, rolled to an authoritative 2 ¼-length victory over Flying Private to win the seventh running of the $169,650 Alysheba (GIII) on Friday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Lopez rated ARSON SQUAD in fourth place early about three lengths off the pace set by Friesan Fire, who was followed by Enriched and Cool Coal Man through fractions of :24.86, :48.95 and 1:12.54. Entering the far turn, Arson Squad moved three wide and by the time the field hit the top of the stretch, Arson Squad had taken the lead and never was serious challenged.
 
Trained by Rick Dutrow, ARSON SQUAD ran the 1 1/16 miles on a “fast” track in 1:43.28. The victory was worth $100,976 and increased Arson Squad’s earnings to $1,107,164 with his eighth victory in 27 starts.

 “It was an easy race. (Trainer Rick Dutrow) said, ‘Paco, you know how to ride this horse. You won on this horse at Gulfstream. He won easy.’ ”

“This jockey must get along great with this horse," said Dutrow. ARSON SQUAD usually comes from way off of it and with this rider – I don’t know if the horse puts him there or the jock puts him there and I’m going to try to find out -- but he’s just run so big these last two times with this rider when he’s been close to the pace."

“We’re going to keep him here and run him in the Stephen Foster. I told Sam (Samantha Siegel) that if does run big in here, we’ll just keep him here and run him in the Stephen Foster because the horse does get along good with this track. And it is very good timing for his next race. We expect him to show up. It looks like he’s turning the tables. He’s run big twice and this jock really gets along with him."
    
ARSON SQUAD is a 7-year-old Pennsylvania-bred son of BRAHMS out of the Green Dancer mare Majestic Fire.

April 3, 2010:
ARSON SQUAD WINS G3 SKIP AWAY STAKES!
Jay Em Ess Stable’s ARSON SQUAD became a millionaire when he disposed of Wingedlie by 3 3/4 lengths to win the $125,000 Skip Away Stakes (gr. III) (VIDEO) April 3 at Gulfstream Park.

It was the fourth graded stakes win for the 7-year-old gelded son of BRAHMS, who is trained Rick Dutrow Jr. ARSON SQUAD has also triumphed in the 2006 Swaps Stakes, 2007 Strub Stakes, and 2008 Meadowlands Cup Handicap (all gr. II). He was bred in Pennsylvania by E&D Enterprises and is out of the Green Dancer mare majestic Fire.

ARSON SQUAD jockey Paco Lopez stalked the pace of longshots Wingedlie, Eldaafer, and Cristiano before pouncing to the lead at the top of the stretch and drawing away for the convincing win. The dark bay scored for the first time since the October 2008 Meadowlands Cup and secured the seventh victory of his career.

The winner covered 1 3/16 miles in 1:55.65 on a fast track.

ARSON SQUAD went off as the 9-5 favorite and paid $5.60, $3.60, and $2.40. Wingedlie paid $15.60 and $7.40 at odds of 32-1, while Helsinki returned $3.80 to show.

“There were a few horses ahead of us in a group, and at the three-eighths, when (Wingedlie) went, there was an opening for me and the rest was perfect," Lopez said. "My horse was good today, he always felt good to me, and I was never worried that I wasn’t going to find an opening to run through."

ARSON SQUAD boosted his career earnings to $1,007,188.

February 26, 2010:
TENPINS TO STAND AT ELITE THOROUGHBREDS

Five time Graded Stakes winner and millionaire TENPINS (Smart Strike-Maid’s Broom, by Deputy Minister) is moving to Elite Thoroughbreds in Folsom, Louisiana for the 2010 breeding season.

TENPINS earned $1,133,449 racing from three to six, earning black type nine times, including a track record setting victory in the G2 Washington Park Handicap. He ran the 9.5 furlongs in 1:55.17 defeating Macho Uno in the process.

With his third crop two-year-olds of 2010, TENPINS ranked among the top 25 Leading North American Freshman and Second Crop sires. He is already sire of four stakes winners, ten stakes horses in his first two crops to race, with progeny earnings over $1.8 million.

The son of Smart Strike out of a Deputy Minister mare is bred on an identical cross to Horse-of-the-Year Curlin. He is a product of the Mr. Prospector/Northern Dancer cross, which has also produced outstanding sires Kingmambo, Distorted Humor, Elusive Quality, Speightstown, Grand Slam and Thunder Gulch.

TENPINS is expected to arrive at Elite Thoroughbreds Saturday afternoon, and will be ready for inspection, Monday, March 1. He will stand for a fee of $3,500 Live Foal.

November 6, 2009:
Courtesy of the Meadowlands
BRAHMS COLT WINS G3 PEGASUS STAKES!
BAD ACTION and jockey Dave Cohen drew clear in the final strides to win the $150,000 Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes at 11-1 odds on Friday night at Meadowlands Racetrack. 

BAD ACTION settled at the back of the pack while the quick-footed Lord Justice dictated the early pace and slid into fourth as they reached the half-mile marker in :46.  He swung to the outside on the final turn and edged past the drifting Big Top for a half-length victory.  Iqbaal, the 4-5 favorite,

moved wide on the turn but could not catch the leaders and finished third.  Bad Action stopped the teletimer in 1:49 for the 1 1/8 miles on a fast main track and paid $24 to win.

“There was a pretty fast pace out there and he was pretty much against the bit the whole way,” Cohen said.  “Gary’s [trainer Gary Contessa] only instruction to me was to get him outside, and I found out today that he has a big run.  I know a lot of jockeys say this, but the whole way, I was gathered with horse.  I could have made the lead at any time.”

Robbins, Winning Move and Kaplan Racing’s BAD ACTION improved his record to eight wins in 21 career starts.  Gary Contessa trains the 3-year-old son of BRAHMS - Lucky Carley, by Sky Classic.

October 30, 2009:
SUPER DERBY WINNER MY PAL CHARLIE RETIRES TO ELITE!
MY PAL CHARLIE has been retired from racing and will return to Louisiana to stand stud in the state where he set a stakes record while winning the prestigious Super Derby (G2) a year ago.  In winning Super Derby XXIX, My Pal Charlie joined an impressive list of past winners, such as leading sires Tiznow, Arch, Seeking the Gold and Sunday Silence. MY PAL CHARLIE will stand 2010 at Elite Thoroughbreds in Folsom, La. for a fee of $3,000.

A son of hot sire Indian Charlie, MY PAL CHARLIE hails from the Halo mare Shahalo, making him a full brother to the Florida-based sire Bwana Charlie, a Grade 2 winner of $388,850, and a half brother to Grade 3 winner Bwana Bull. Purchased by B. Wayne Hughes for $300,000 at the 2006 Keeneland September yearling sale, MY PAL CHARLIE raced in the Spendthrift colors under the care of trainer Al Stall Jr.

At three, he broke his maiden and won an allowance race in back-to-back starts at Fair Grounds before finishing second to Grade 1 winner Pyro in the Louisiana Derby (G2) after setting the pace. MY PAL CHARLIE returned to Louisiana later in the season and turned in a breakthrough performance, impressively winning the $515,000 Super Derby (G2) in stakes-record time of 1:48.36 for 1 1/8 miles. He defeated runner-up Macho Again, a Grade 1 winner, by 4 ¼ lengths.

In his final start at three, MY PAL CHARLIE faced older horses for the first time and ran a close fourth in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita, finishing just 1 ¾ lengths behind Grade 1 winner Albertus Maximus.

This year as a 4-year-old, MY PAL CHARLIE competed in eight straight graded stakes races at six different racetracks from distances of six furlongs to 1 1/8 miles. He finished third in the Commonwealth S. (G2) at seven furlongs on the Polytrack at Keeneland before finishing second in the Churchill Downs H. (G2) on Kentucky Derby day at seven furlongs over a sloppy Churchill main track. My Pal Charlie then ran a close fourth in the Met Mile (G1) at Belmont, finishing 1 ½ lengths back while recording a 105 Beyer Speed Figure.

He recently finished fourth beaten just 1 ½ lengths in the Forego H. (G1) behind Pyro and multiple Grade 1 winner Kodiak Kowboy.

“MY PAL CHARLIE had great success in Louisiana during his racing career, and we feel like he’ll be popular with the Louisiana breeders,” said Ken Wilkins, stallion director at Spendthrift Farm. “This horse checks all the boxes: he has a fashionable pedigree, is a lovely individual that was sound throughout his career, and most of all he possessed quality speed and performed at a high level on the racetrack.”

Elite Thoroughbreds’ Michelle Rodriguez said: “We’re delighted that MY PAL CHARLIE is coming home to Louisiana. He was a tremendous racehorse and we’re thrilled to stand him at Elite. All breeders are invited to come out and inspect him.”

October 9, 2009:
TETON FOREST TO STAND AT ELITE THOROUGHBREDS
TETON FOREST has been purchased by Michele Rodriquez and Lee Thomas’ Elite Thoroughbreds for stallion duty at the Folsom, La., farm. The 8-year-old son of Forestry will stand for $2,500 in 2010.
 
A second-crop sire, TETON FOREST is represented by 2009 stakes performers Deltalicious and Smokey Lonesome. Two-year-old Deltalicious has won the Louisiana Cup Juvenile Fillies Stakes and is twice stakes-placed. Three-year-old Smokey Lonesome has run second in the La Puente and Pasedena Stakes, both on grass at Santa Anita. Teton Forest’s runners have earned nearly $700,000.
 
TETON FOREST, who stood his previous five years at Spendthrift Farm near Lexington, won the 2004 Jerome Handicap (gr. II) and ran second in that year’s Riva Ridge Breeders’ Cup Stakes (gr. II). A half-brother to grade II winner Tomorrows Cat, he is out of the stakes-winning Al Nasr mare Tomorrow’s Child.

May 25, 2009:
ROSSINI FILLY WINS BOB BRYANT STAKES AT PRAIRIE MEADOWS!
SAKAKAWEA, the 3-year-old daughter of ROSSINI, showed what a determined and game filly she is with her victory in the $62,733 Bob Bryant Stakes going six furlong over the fast main track at Prairie Meadows.

Tracking the pace down the backstretch while out in the five path, SAKAKAWEA moved closer around the turn and was ready to challenge at the top of the stretch. She found herself between horses for the length of the stretch and her chances were not helped by the inside filly coming out and the outside filly coming in. However, SAKAKAWEA had come to win and she overcame all the trouble, dug in and got up to win by a nose.

SAKAKAWEA now has three wins and two seconds in six starts and she has earned $90,730. She races for Black Oak Farm and she is trained by Ray E. Tracy, Jr. Bred in Iowa by Buckboard Stable, she was produced by the Beau's Eagle mare, Sarouka.