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!
W-O-W! Antiquarian bounced back from a rough trip to the Fair Grounds for the Louisiana Derby with a huge effort in his New York debut. The exciting sophomore was bumped at the start, hung wide, and kept on running to pull clear to an impressive victory in the G3 Peter Pan Stakes. The win stamped him as a legitimate contender for the G1 Belmont Stakes on June 8 at Saratoga Race Course.
We are endlessly proud of him (and his dad, Preservationist) and grateful to everyone who made it possible – our phenomenal, unparalleled partners, our team, including Dr. Carr and Paula Parsons and her staff in Middleburg, Todd Pletcher and his crew, the great John Velazquez, and, of course, Baby P himself.
What a joy to watch Timaeus bound home a winner at Gulfstream Park for his patient partners! He delivered a terrific performance off of the layoff to pull clear beneath Edgard Zayas. We’re incredibly grateful to his partners, Todd Pletcher and his entire team, Jimmy Jerkens and his crew, who launched Timaeus’s career, and more. Paula Parsons and her staff in Middleburg were particularly key to his success and we’re thankful for their diligent work, expertise, and care.
Six years to the day after Preservationist beat winners for the first time, Antiquarian picked up his first career victory! It’s always special to have an exciting horse in the barn, but a little extra sweet when they’re sired by a former stable star. “Baby P,” from the first crop of “Big P,” shipped to the Fair Grounds for his second career start, faced a tough field on a challenging surface, and delivered an impressive victory. Paula Parsons and her staff in Middleburg did a terrific job getting him ready for Todd Pletcher and his team, who did an outstanding job preparing him for the race. Hall of Famer John Velazquez gave him a masterful ride in their second outing together. Moments like this are only possible because of our fantastic partners – we absolutely adore them and are thrilled to have them involved with a colt like this!
Waitlist was worth the wait! The exciting three-year-old, a member of the 2022 Hamilton, LLC, debuted with a determined victory in maiden special weight company at Tampa Bay Downs. Emisael Jaramillo delivered a terrific ride and the colt was perfectly prepared by Todd Pletcher and his team, including groom Juan Jose and exercise rider Gabriel. Paula Parsons and her staff in Middleburg did an excellent job readying him for the track. None of it would be possible without our phenomenal partners who joined his team!
Read more about his victory in the Thoroughbred Daily News here. Additional photos can be views and purchased here.
For the sixth straight year, Centennial Farms was proud to sponsor the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Best Turned Out Horse Awards on Pegasus World Cup Day at Gulfstream Park! Celebrating the men and women who work so hard to care for the horses while raising the profile of such a crucial organization has become one of our favorite traditions. We were thrilled to have Parx Racing’s Jessica Paquette join us as guest judge for the first three races on the card. You can see all of the day’s winners here, learn more about or donate to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance here, and find out more about our commitment to aftercare here.
Don Little, Jr. and Holly Little present a Best Turned Out Horse Award to Angelica Paz of the Shug McGaughey barn. Paz is the groom of Dreams of Tomorrow, who ran in the seventh race on Pegasus World Cup Day at Gulfstream Park.
A trio of exciting colts joined the roster at the prestigious Keeneland September Sale! The jam-packed auction, a must-attend on the calendar of anyone looking to purchase yearlings, offers a unique opportunity to find stellar individuals. The Centennial Farms acquisition team did just that this year, landing three youngsters from phenomenal families with awesome physicals.
Hip 582 hails from the first crop of quadruple Grade 1 winner Tiz the Law and is out of a half-sister to champion Goodnight Olive. Pictured Hip 671 is by proven leading sire Street Sense from a family developed over generations by the Phippses. Rounding out the group is Hip 767, a son of the terrific young champion Nyquist out of a 3/4-sister to a champion and a multiple G1 winner.
Full details are available here and we encourage you to contact us to get involved.
Street Sense – Puzzling (Ghostzapper) colt purchased at the Keeneland September Sale.
Centennial Farms has an extensive history of procuring stars at the prestigious Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. This year appears to be no exception. The acquisition team’s diligent work paid off with the addition of a son of Street Sense to the roster. He possesses an elite pedigree, being out of a young mare by champion Honor Code and from the family of winners of the Preakness, Met Mile, Alabama, and more. Of course, he is also a fantastic individual with an elite physical. Learn more here or contact us at (888) 606-7223, info@centennialfarms.com, or via the form here.
