Three-year-old Enlighten, unraced since his two-year-old campaign, returned with aplomb to kick off the Gulfstream Park Championship Meet! Paula Parsons and her team in Middleburg did a terrific job managing his layoff and returning him to Todd Pletcher and his staff as the Saratoga meet came to a close. The graduate of the prestigious Saratoga Sale, where he was selected by Parsons and Dr. Carr, progressed smoothly at Saratoga and Palm Beach Down before delivering off of the layoff. He showed a good deal of maturity and guts to come through a narrow opening to win going away. Huge thanks to everyone who got him ready, including his patient partners!
Talented sophomore Illuminare rebounded from his lone career defeat in sparkling fashion! He shortened up in distance and faced a salty group of older horses but delivered a big performance, recording the highest Beyer number of his career to date at 98. The colt, selected from the Keeneland September Sale by Dr. Carr and Paula Parsons and expertly prepared for the racetrack by the latter and her team, is now three-for-four lifetime and looks to have a very bright future. Todd Pletcher and his staff have done a terrific job managing this colt and delivering for his happy partners!
Each year, the prestigious Keeneland September Sale gathers the largest collection of yearling prospects in the nation. It presents unique challenges and unique opportunities and each year our acquisition team rises to face them and take advantage of them. Dr. Stephen Carr and Paula Parsons approached this year’s sale with the same expertise and approach that has brought home stars like Preservationist, Rocketry, and Wicked Strong from this very sale. They secured a terrific group of colts with outstanding pedigrees and athletic builds at our price point. They are:
- Hip 411: Silver State – Firsthand Report (Blame)
- Hip 447: Not This Time – Ib Prospecting (Mineshaft)
- Hip 473: Yaupon – Lady Luck (Medaglia d’Oro)
- Hip 496: City of Light – Majestic Union (Union Rags)
These four exciting prospects form the 2024 Commonwealth, LLC. Interests are currently available and we encourage you to contact us for full details so you can join their journey.
Nearly twelve years to the day that Centennial Farms signed the Keeneland September ticket for a colt named Moyne Spun, he’s rejoining the family. Wicked Strong has been pensioned from stud duty and arrived in Ipswich, Massachusetts. The new gelding is now at the home of Centennial Farms’ President Don Little, Jr. and the Little family.
Always highly regarded as a youngster, the son of Hard Spun’s larger story began to unfold in the spring of his two-year-old season. In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing, he was renamed in honor of Centennial’s hometown and its residents. More meaningfully, a pledge was made to donate a percentage of his earnings to the One Fund, a charity set up to assist those who had been affected by the tragedy. That partnership, coupled with the ride Wicked Strong took everyone on, proved to be one of the most rewarding experiences anyone at Centennial has been involved in.
After undergoing his early training with Paula Parsons and her team in Middleburg, Wicked Strong joined trainer Jimmy Jerkens at Belmont Park on June 5, 2013. Wicked Strong broke his maiden impressively in his second career start and wrapped up his three-race two-year-old campaign with a third-place effort in the G2 Remsen.
An unlucky start to his sophomore year in Florida left him ready for a breakout performance in his return to New York and he delivered. Wicked Strong pulled clear to a 3 1/2-length victory in the G1 Wood Memorial to stamp his ticket to the Kentucky Derby. He put forth a remarkable performance at Churchill Downs, finishing fourth despite traffic troubles after stumbling out of post twenty, and followed that up by dead-heating for fourth, with Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome, in the Belmont Stakes. A tremendous summer at Saratoga followed – he turned the tables on Belmont winner Tonalist with a 2 1/4-length victory in the G2 Jim Dandy and was just nailed on the wire by stablemate V. E. Day in the G1 Travers. His season ended on a scary note when impeded with in the G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. Regular rider Rajiv Maragh suffered a broken arm and while “Wicked” was miraculously unscathed, the decision was made to stop on him for the year. He returned to Middleburg, where the shoes he was wearing that day still hang on the barn wall.
Despite going winless as a four-year-old, Wicked Strong’s toughness, consistency, and talent were on display throughout the year. He added a stakes-placing on turf to his resume and his additional graded stakes placings included both the G1 Whitney and G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. He retired sound, thanks to the efforts of trainer Jimmy Jerkens, racing manager Dr. Stephen Carr, and more, after the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, with another strong effort and career earnings north of $1.9 million.
Throughout it all, Wicked Strong’s popularity remained steadfast. He was embraced by the Boston community, earning headlines and a sizable cheering section at Suffolk Downs for simulcasting. Over $34,000 was raised via his on-track exploits alone for the One Fund and his success undoubtedly helped generate more. He is unquestionably one of the most popular horses to carry Centennial’s famed red and tan colors in the organization’s 42-year history.
Wicked Strong retired to Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Kentucky in the fall of 2015, where he remained for five years before relocating to Dr. William Solomon’s Pin Oak Lane Farm in New Freedom, Pennsylvania. At stud, he was represented by champion Wicked Runner, G2 winners Brooklyn Strong and Wicked Crane, multiple graded stakes placed Jilted Bride, and more. Over the summer, the decision was made to pension Wicked Strong, who was gelded and returned to Spendthrift Farm. While other options were on the table for his future, nothing felt as right as bringing him to Massachusetts.
“We couldn’t be happier to bring Wicked Strong home,” said Don Little, Jr. “He provided us with some of the greatest memories of our lives and we can’t wait to spend the rest of his life spoiling him and thanking him… and maybe hopping aboard! Our thanks to everyone at Spendthrift Farm and Pin Oak Lane Farm for prioritizing his well-being over the years and for coordinating with us to give us this opportunity.”
Spendthrift Farm’s General Manager, Ned Toffey, is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he also played football. “Ned’s ties to Massachusetts always made it feel particularly appropriate to have Wicked at Spendthrift and he was instrumental in this process,” added Little.
Wicked Strong joins fellow former Centennial runners and stakes winners Mihos and Securitiz in the barn overseen by Holly Little, filling a stall formerly occupied by multiple graded stakes placed Convocation, lost earlier this summer to laminitis. Convocation enjoyed eleven wonderful years of retirement.
“Convocation was a true character who we miss dearly. While he will never be replaced, it’s hard not to see a bit of fate in the timing of everything. Caring for the ‘Ipswich Gang,’ has been my sweat, dedication, and commitment year-round and I’m thrilled to welcome Wicked to the group,” said Holly Little.
Wicked Strong will be allowed to settle in to his new home before any decisions will be made regarding hosting visitors.
Centennial Farms, owned by Don Little, Jr., Peter Horvitz, and Margaret O’Meara, are fervent advocates for responsible aftercare, an ethos shared by the partners involved with each horse. Each partnership is set-up with funding for a separate, interest-bearing aftercare account strictly for the use of any Centennial horse past or present who may need assistance or as a donation to a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited organization. Centennial Farms is a longtime proud sponsor of the TAA’s Best Turned Out Horse Awards on Gulfstream Park’s Pegasus World Cup Day and a regular supporter of a number of TAA-accredited organizations, including Old Friends, Racing For Home, ReRun, Second Stride, Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, and Turning For Home.
There’s nothing else quite like the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale and nothing like accomplishing your goal just minutes in! The boutique sale brings together an elite group of yearlings and buyers from around the world. It is a can’t-miss social event, one of a kind experience, and a phenomenal place to buy a star. Centennial Farms has acquired Eclipse Award champion Rubiano, Belmont Stakes winner Colonial Affair, Breeders’ Cup victor Corinthian, and more at Saratoga over the years. Dr. Carr and Paula Parsons, responsible for sourcing all of our standouts, did a phenomenal job zeroing in a handful of colts that meet our physical and pedigree standards. With members of the Team Centennial family alongside, we were able to secure the very first horse on the list, who happened to be the very first horse in the ring. A Charlatan colt from the family of Jack Christopher and Street Boss, he is a terrific individual who is now available as the 2024 Congress Park, LLC. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for details.
That’s how you kick off a Saratoga meet! Our first runner of the summer became our first winner as exciting sophomore Illuminare ran his record to two-for-two lifetime, turning back a tough group of older horses. Dr. Carr and Paula Parsons selected the colt from the Keeneland September Sale of 2022 and he has rewarded the patience of the partners who decided to come along for the ride. Irad Ortiz, Jr. delivered a confident ride on the talented colt, who was expertly prepared by Todd Pletcher and his staff. The sky’s the limit!
It wasn’t the result we’d hoped for, but Antiquarian’s tremendous effort in the Belmont Stakes allowed us to make some truly amazing memories with so many members of the Centennial family. We love our partners and love bringing them together for moments like these. Everyone is incredibly proud of Antiquarian, who finished fifth through some bumping while making his Grade 1 debut, and we are so looking forward to what his future holds after a freshening in Middleburg. The future is very bright for this guy and we’re so grateful to have a wonderful team behind him.
A special four-day racing festival in Saratoga got even more special with a sparkling debut victory by Illuminare! The exciting sophomore sat just off the pace and kicked clear going 7-furlongs to launch his career. It was a tremendous effort and a credit to so many, including Paula Parsons and her staff in Middleburg, Dr. Carr, Todd Pletcher and his entire team, Irad Ortiz, Jr., and more. Being able to celebrate with so many of his partners on-hand made the victory particularly special. Moments like these are indescribable!
A unique Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in Saratoga kicked off with the post position draw at Universal Preservation Hall in downtown Saratoga Springs! Antiquaria, who enters the race off of a victory in the G3 Peter Pan, drew post five in a competitive ten-horse field. He retains the services of Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who has been aboard “Baby P” in all four of his career starts. The morning line odds on the duo have been set at 12-1. A full story is available via NYRA here and complete quotes from the event can be found here.
Goodstone got the opportunity to stretch out to a mile and 70 yards in his second career start and made the most of it! The sophomore engaged in a a three-way battle for the lead before drawing off to an authoritative 4 3/4-length victory. The Pletcher team has done a terrific job with this colt, as did Paula Parsons and her staff in Middleburg. He’s got a lot of upside for his outstanding family of partners as the second half of the year gets underway!
