News Archives
Nov. 25, 2011 - All-Time Earnings Record Broken for Barry Irwin Partnership, Summer Soiree's $50,000 for Grade 1 Second puts Stable Over Top, Team Valor Not Done in 2011 as Lucky Chappy Eyes Final Grade 1
The seasonal earnings record for Team Valor International was broken this evening when Summer Soiree ran second in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes, her $50,000 payday boosting Barry Irwin’s stable of partnership owned runners to reach $3,916,429.
Nov. 6, 2011 - MASTER SHADE BECOMES A NEW YORK STAKES WINNER AT “THE BIG A” ITALIAN IMPORT IS STAKES WINNER NUMBER 13 FOR STABLE THIS SEASON BOUGHT AS MAIDEN WINNER, SHE HAS WON 3 OF 5 RACES THIS YEAR IN U. S.
Master Shade had to wait a week to have a chance to become a stakes winner after Belmont Park’s Middle Stage Stakes was postponed last week due to inclement weather, but she earned black type today in the 1 1/16-mile event that was re-staged at Aqueduct. In winning the $60,000 event, Master Shade became stakes winner number 13 this season for a Team Valor International runner and was winning stakes race number 17 for the Kentucky-based stable of partnership owned racehorses. And although the filly prevailed in dominating style by nearly 2 lengths while drawing away in the final half-furlong, it was not an easy task for trainer Graham Motion and his staff, because Master Shade is, as stable CEO Barry Irwin describes, “plumb loco.” As if to punctuate this notion, Master Shade summarily dumped rider Alan Garcia prior to the start of the grass stakes this afternoon. “I normally shy away from fillies with temperament issues,” Irwin said. “But the manner in which this filly won her debut by 5 lengths in Italy last season excited me so much, I had to have her for our stable. After I bought her, I sent her to Germany to be re-schooled by some experts that worked under the guidance of Monty Roberts. They did a nice job. “But it wasn’t until she trained at Fair Hill under Graham that she began to really settle. It has been an eventful last 6 months, but Graham and his staff have gotten the job done and deserve all the credit. This filly is yet another advertisement of why we bought a barn and moved our operation to Fair Hill.” Master Shade broke alertly and Garcia took a nice hold, then was able to avoid being cut off by a horse outside of her. Master Shade shortly afterwards clipped heels of a filly inside of her when she was thinking about fighting for her head. When she settled down upon arriving on the backstretch, the Italian-born filly raced fifth about 3 or 4 lengths off the lead. Garcia kept her following horses into the lane, then eased out for the run to the wire and got into a perfect rhythm aboard the filly, who reached the leaders inside the eight pole and drove away to win by nearly 2 lengths as the 8 to 1 fifth choice in a field of 9 sophomore fillies. The win—number 3 from 5 U. S. starts and number 4 from 7 career outings—boosted the filly’s lifetime gleanings to nearly $90,000. She will now be sent to Palm Meadows with some of the other Team Valor runners in the Graham Motion stable.
Nov. 4, 2011 -At the Breeder's Cup Sweet Cat got third in the Juvenille Fillies Turf on Friday only beaten by 2 lengths.
Oct. 13, 2011 - Our newest filly, Sweet Cat, finished 2nd in the Jessiemine at Keeneland. Sweet Cat is owned by Highfield in partnership with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. By virtue of her 2nd place, Highfield will be returning to the Breeders Cup! She will be running in the Juvenile Turf Fillies.
Sept. 16, 2011 - Master Shade (ITY) finished 1st by 1/2 lengths at Laurel Park in Race 8.
Sept. 10, 2011 - Motovato got third in the Our Dear Peggy S at Calder Park.
Sept. 3, 2011 - Motovato finished 5th in the Darn that Alarm Stake race at Calder.
Aug. 22, 2011 - Brigantin got 3rd in the $185,000 G2 Prix Kergolay.
Aug. 20, 2011 - Summer Soiree won the $250,000 G1 - Delmar Oaks.
Aug. 13, 2011 - Golden Cup (bred and owned by HSF) won the Sales Stakes for geldings and colts at Northlands by 5 ¼ lengths.
Aug. 13, 2011 - My Daddy’s Girl (bred by HSF out of Crystal Forest * Cape Canaveral) won the Filly’s Sales Stakes at Northlandsby 2 ¾ lengths.
July 31, 2011 - Motovato finished 4th in the Majestic Light S. at Monmouth Park.
July 29, 2011 - Golden Cup – a two year old gelding, ran in the 5 1/2 furlong maiden special at Northlands, winning easy by 12 1/4 lengths.
July 24, 2011 - Mastershade got 5th in the Desert Vixen S. at Monmouth Park.
July 2, 2011 - Motovato placed 4th in the G3 Salvator Mile at Monmouth.
June 3, 2011 - My Man Nell, finishes third by 2 1/2 lengths at Belmont.
June 20, 2011 - Summer Soiree, making her first start on grass, blew away her field today in the Grade 3 Boiling Spring Stakes at Monmouth Park, pulling away to post a stunningly impressive 8 ½-length score in the $150,000 fixture. ... More
June 20, 2011 - Mastershade wins by 1 and ½ lengths in the 37,000 allowance at Delaware Park! Click here for full chart..
June 16, 2011 - Team Valor International’s homebred Brigantin jumped into the mix for Australia’s premier race, the $6.3-million Melbourne Cup Handicap, when he overcame less-than-ideal ground conditions on June 15 and gutted out a third-place finish in the Gold Cup, the history-laden anchor of the elite Royal Ascot meet. ... More
June 16, 2011 - Americas Dreaming places 5th at Hollywood Park.
Summer Soiree Bought by Highfield and Team Valor
Summer Soiree, who romped by 10 3/4 lengths in the March 26 Bourbonette Oaks (gr. III) at Turfway Park, has been bought by Highfield and Team Valor International and will be pointed to the May 6 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) at Churchill Downs.
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Chantilly Nayla just misses in Fair Grounds Stake...
Jan. 22, 2011...Fair Grounds...Highfield Stock Farm and Team Valour's four-year-old filly Chantilly Nayla (Wildcat Heir), came within a short neck of victory in Saturday's $60,000 Dr. A. B. Leggio Memorial Stakes. Off at odds of 7-1 in the 5 1/2 furlong sprint over yeilding turf Chantilly Nayla rallied gamely along the outside before running out of ground in the final stage.
Unique opportunity to share Highfield facility...
Highfield’s longtime tenant – standardbred operator Meridian Farms is moving to their own facility beginning January 2011. As such, Highfield has an opportunity for a quality organization to share our facility. The facility includes the following:
o 18 stall main barn – 15 X 15 stalls with each stall having their own turnouts
o 20 stall secondary barn – 10 X 10 stalls with pasture turnout
o 4 stalls available in stud barn – includes divided stallion paddocks for turn out
o Breeding shed
o Vet Clinic featuring palp shot and 2 stalls
o 70 foot exerciser
o 75 X 125 indoor riding arena
o 95 acre pasture turnout
o Numerous paddocks and pastures.
o 3 bedroom/2 bathroom house
Ideal situation for operation looking to be situated in first class facility with great access to major highways. The tenant will share the facility with Highfield so ideally the tenant will be willing to foster and work in a team environment. Will consider renting portions of the facility such as a barn, or a pasture. Contact Adrian Munro for details.
Cape Canaveral's stud fee reduced to $4,500 for 2011 season...
Nov. 19, 2010...Highfield has announced that leading stallion Cape Canaveral, sire of 17 stakes winners to date, with progeny earnings over $12.5 million, has had his 2011 stud fee reduced from $5,000 to $4,500.
Highfield-bred Alberta Sale Grad wins another stake at Woodbine...
Aug. 1, 2010...Harlequin Ranches' FREE FEE LADY (Victory Gallop), bred by Highfield Stock Farm, captured her second Canadian-bred fillies' classic when battling to a neck victory in Sunday's $243,904 Wonder Where S. at Woodbine. An upset winner of the Bison City S. in her previous start for trainer Reade Baker, the Alberta-bred garnered more respect as the 8-5 second choice in this turf debut. After pressing the early pace with Emma-Jayne Wilson, Free Fee Lady took command in the stretch, thwarted the late bid of Happy Clapper (Awesome Again), and clocked 2:03 2/5 for 1 1/4 firm-turf miles. "Down the backside, I thought she'd just gallop," Baker said. "I thought she'd win easy. But she got a heck of a ride to win. They were closing in on her." Pacesetter Bodua (North Light [Ire]) salvaged third, a neck ahead of 3-2 favorite Somme (Theatrical [Ire]). Free Fee Lady, who just missed in her May 22 career debut, has now won three straight and has bankrolled $337,691. Baker admitted that he originally didn't have high expectations for the filly. "Leroy (Trotman), my assistant, did," Baker said. "I was going to run her for a tag the first time. She only cost ($28,566 at the Alberta August sale). I didn't think she was that good. But after her first race, there wasn't going to be any claiming."...Brisnet
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