BloodHorse.com

As the 2012 Thoroughbred auction season opens, the talkhas turned from stabilization to recovery. Last year, the business trends at NorthAmerican sales turned upward overall after four consecutive years of declines.Then the first major auction of the New Year, the Keeneland January horses of allages sale, posted big gains. ''This is a ...

When searching for a stallion prospect, it helps tohave a lot of money. Because of the downturn in the Thoroughbred marketplace forseveral years recently, top candidates don't sell for as much as they used to,but they're still expensive in the scheme of things. Many farms, however, don't have the resources to beable to afford the very best in ...

The biggest race of this gala weekend in Panama is the44th Clasico Internacional del Caribe. Also known as the CaribbeanDerby, it will be run Dec. 11 at Hipodromo Presidente Remon. However, there arefour other races in the Serie del Caribe. Three were run today, Dec. 10, and the rest willbe offered tomorrow. The Copa Velocidad del Caribe ...

I visited the Laffit Pincay Jr. Jockey TrainingAcademy today (Dec. 9). It's located at Hipodromo Presidente Remon near PanamaCity, Panama. A school for riders has been operating at Panama'sonly racetrack since 1960, but academic classes in such subjects as English-speakingand basic math didn't become part of the program until 2009. The ...

Women control the two leading breeding operations in Panama and they will be playing a major role in determining the future of the country's Thoroughbred industry. Graciela Eleta, 71, operates Haras Cerro Punta, which was founded by her husband, Fernando, who died earlier this year. Raquel Eleta, 57, is in charge at Haras San Miguel, which is ...

All sloths in Panama were in hiding today. I scanned he trees to and from the Gamboa Rainforest Resort this morning but didn't see any hanging around. I think this was my only shot at sloth watching, so I'll be leaving without achieving my personal goal.However, while at Gamboa and taking a boat ride on the Panama Canal, I did see baby crocodiles, ...

And I'm off! To Panama. I'll be covering the Clasico Internacional del Caribe (Caribbean Derby) Sunday. From what I'm told there is a lot of excitement and pageantry. Anne Eberhardt Keogh, The Blood-Horse's photographer, has been before and has assured me it is a lot of fun. Before the big race, I'll be visiting some Thoroughbred farms and the ...

Among the highlights of the recent Keeneland November breeding stock sale were the fireworks generated by Royal Delta and her family. Winner of the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (gr. I) Nov. 4, Royal Delta commanded the sale-topping price of $8.5 million four days later. Her dam, Delta Princess, who is in foal to Distorted Humor, brought $2.6 ...

As I write this I am eating my Rachel Alexandracookie. It's bay (chocolate) just like her. It has a white icing blaze (sort oflike hers). There is even a sparkle in her eye (courtesy of a white icing dot). The cookie came in a cellophane bag tied at the topwith a jaunty red bow. And yes, it was quite tasty. The sugary treat was one of my ...

The yearling market in 2010 showed signs ofstabilization. The average price for horses sold in North America at publicauction declined less than 1% from the previous year and the median price remainedthe same. In 2011, a recovery appears to be under way.Numerous positive results have been reported at various auctions. Mostimportant of all, the ...