END OF FOALING SEASON NOTE

May 31st

It's been a busy and wonderful month, but I admit to not getting the news updates entered. Nice of some of you to note!

There have been three additions to the farm since I last made a note.

One Fine Cam had a very correct, and very attractive colt by Island Fantasy. Now I know that Island Fantasy's sold just horribly last fall but we have this colt, and an Island Fantasy filly out of WCBetina in our yearling consignment that are as nice as you'll ever see. I mean that. One Fine Cam has all the credentials to produce a great one, what with her conformation, personal performance on the track, and the quality of her offspring.Her Apaches Fame in this years consignment is as nice a colt as you'll see anywhere.This newborn is as attractive as the Apaches Fame, and it looks like he'll be black (dark brown).

Lady Joanna gave birth to what we hoped for - a FILLY by Artsplace. She is small but drop dead gorgeous. We couldn't have asked for a better conformed or prettier foal. Lady goes to Real Desire this year to try and get a 3/4 sister or brother to Lease on Life (1:48.1).

Then, for the grand finale, Stonebridge First foaled a COLT by Western Hanover. He's quite tall, has a sharp head, and has his mom's bum and barrel! Just what we wanted. First also goes to Real Desire this year.

_________________________________________________________________

That ends our 2003 foaling season. Some tough and cold nights - and times of real worry, but 17 pregnant mares; 17 live foals.

Angie, with the help of Loeki, Dr. Henderson,(and occasionally me) ended up with 100% live and healthy foals. I'm so proud of them - and grateful!

_________________________________________________________________

May 7th

Last night Chatelaine Hanover (Jate Lobell - Charlotte Hanover) the half sister to the dams of Cardmaster Hanover (1:50.1 - >$500,000) and Union Guy (1:50.2-> $500,000) foaled just a great looking crisp colt by Real Artist. Now this is the first foal I've seen by him but if he is repesentative of how they come out then I understand why Real Artist is the leading first year Sire .

This is the full brother to the early season North American Champion Claris.

We were more than a little interested to see this 'guy' because we have Reona Hanover the full sister to the dam of Real Artist, and just recently had a Grinfromeartoear colt from her that is a 3/4 brother-in-blood to Real Artist. (I am reminded that I already pointed this out in a previous late night note in this News Section, but you'll forgive me for doing the "proud poppa" routine and repeating myself, won't you?)

Chatelaine is not a tall mare, but absolutely correct as many of the Jate mares are. This colt has her coloring and really sharp head, but I think he is going to be taller.

Just looked at him again on the monitor - did I say he was crisp? He's really sharp and crisp! (Did I repeat myself, - again?)

Chatelaine is going to visit Camluck this year (or rather his "baby-in-a-box" is going to come here). On paper it's a good match, but Camluck'll have to go some to beat this product.
________________________________________________________________

May 4th

Armbro Nuzzle (Speedy Crown- Embraceable You) delivered us a great big strapping colt by Angus Hall tonight. It was not an easy delivery for this young future warrior, but after some considerable "negotiation" he emerged. He's a very big colt, that has his mother's coloring and wonderful personality. She is named so appropriately.

This family continues to perform - Armbro Thomas is currently working on a win-streak of 5 - and counting. Nuzzle has two foals of racing age and they are both sub-1:57 performers. Hatchet Man was exported to Sweden as a three year old and Stonebridge Victor continues to race in Toronto out of George Millar's Stable.

Nuzzle goes to Duke of York's court this year. This will give us a 3/4 sister in blood to Armbro Thomas.

Whoops - did I say "sister"? I meant sister or brother! (That Freud really knew something didn't he?)

_______________________________________________________________

May 2nd

Hope springs ETERNAL!

When we bought TRIESTE HANOVER (Abercrombie-Trilogy Lobell), we bought her because of her great breeding and flawless conformation. It didn't hurt that she was a producer in her first two foals by David's Pass, including the outstanding two year old Esther's Joy, who is a stakes winner of over 75,000 last year as a two year old. She was in foal to Island Fantasy, a breeding that we fancied, being of the Tesio variety in that her grand dam is the great Three Diamonds and of course Island Fantasy shared that great maternal blood. The result of that breeding was a fine looking colt that sells in this fall consignment - Stonebridge Gem (from the Three Diamonds connection - get it?)

However, we bought her to breed another way because of what that could portend. Trieste, you see, is a half sister to Cool World, who when bred to Cam Fella produced the richest race mare of all time (and still counting), and two-time Breeders Crown winner ETERNAL CAMNATION. Ergo - we bred her to Cam Fella"s most productive son CAMLUCK. We hoped for a filly!

At nine tonight Trieste delivered - a FILLY! That makes her a 3/4 sister in blood to the great Eternal Camnation. She's tall, with her mom's sharp head and eye, and straight and long. Not a speck of white on her. We love her.

Hope! Spring! Eternal (Camnation)!

They all came together tonight.

Trieste goes back to Camluck again. You know that hope thing?

______________________________________________________________

April 20

As midnight rolled around and Easter Sunday morning approached, we had a surprise, that just shouldn't have been one. After all, her name is Ripe Is Ready!! And she was! She had been out in the pasture in the sunshine all day and frankly I didn't think she would come for another 24 to 48 hours. Some people get up and look for Easter eggs, personally I'll take a foal!

Ripe Is Ready (Niatross -Ripe-Abercrombie) gave birth to a magnificent colt by Camluck just after midnight. This is therefore a full brother to Fernbank Fiona, a filly who was the OSS super final Champion, has won over $400,000, and been timed in 1:50 and a piece.

This mare is a tall black beauty and her foal takes after her- leggy, some white on his face, big nicely proportioned ears, and a nice long neck.

We stood outside her stall this morning, coffee in hand, the birds singing and we all realized just how lucky we are. What a beautiful sight!

Cliff Grundy and we have decided to book another date with Camluck for her- and hope for a repeat.

______________________________________________________________

April 15

Summer literally burst upon us today with temperatures close to 30 degrees celsius. The foals loved getting into the paddocks frolicking and demonstrating their skill at short-burst sprinting. We watched STARCRUSHER (Sonsam-Starfire Almahurst) because she was waxing, and had all the telltale signs of "coming-in".

We were right. Around ten she delivered a wonderful foal with her mom's eye and head, nice round bum, two white hind socks, and a whither like her mom. This mare has produced several fillies by CAMLUCK, but never a colt. Now previously, she had produced one of the most remarkable fillies ever in Canada, WHENUWISHUPONASTAR, who was the most outstanding race mare of her class, took the 2 Year old O'Brien Award, and was co-named Horse Of The Year with Riyadh - and winner therefore of Two O"Brien Awards. She won over $500,000and was Camluck's most successful filly until Stonebridge First.

But many of us have been waiting for her to produce a colt by Camluck. TONIGHT SHE DID!! A Full Brother to Whenuwishuponastar!!!

We're ecstatic. What would we have done if it had been another filly? Well if you flip a coin often enough it's bound to come up heads eventually. We're going to do it again!

_______________________________________________________________

April 9

Last night was a very happy night at Stonebridge. Outside we were visited by an ice storm that left the farm a crystal wonderland of ice-encased maples, willows & evergreens. It was literally dazzling! Inside we were visited by the "Equus - Stork" twice.

First, Casual Beauty (Artsplace-Casual Brilliance) gave birth to a handsome bay colt by Camluck. Just as her Western Hanover colt is very "Western" this colt is a very substantial correct foal that has mom's head & that typical Camluck rear end. He's going to be a good size colt & along with his brother gives his dam a real chance to demonstrate her genetic potential!

Then, Fran Seelster (Threefold-Fashion Trick) finally delivered her 'mother - lode' - a Camluck full sister to Stonebridge First. You never know when you shake the "genetic dice" whether the right combination will come up. But come it did this time!! "Sister" is as near a twin as we could hope for - tall, dk brown, and that beautiful broad forehead face of her mother.. Fran always gives us a handsome looking individual but it amazes us how consistently correct & substantial they are. It speaks to the genetic prepotency of this mare - she's 4 for 4 in stakes winning offspring (1,2 million earnings) and her yearling this year is a real Trophy (his name by the way!)

Both Fran & Beauty go to Western Hanover's court this year!

_______________________________________________________________

March 12

Curt Greene, the legendary writer and student of conformation and bloodlines, once referred to CHARISMATTIC (Matts Scooter -Nadias Sister-No Nukes) as "the Gina Lollabrigida of Standardbreds" because he thought she was the most gorgeous looking race mare he had ever seen. He bought her for us in a sale and when we saw her we agreed.

As a matter-of-fact, we took our own 'home-photo' of her with her first baby, made a cameo out of it, and that is what Stonebridge's Logo is made up of.

(She has her Camluck foal by her side in this picture -Pretty huh?)

 

Last night Charismattic DELIVERED on Bart Glass's plans and Curt's dreams. A WESTERN HANOVER filly was born and as we said when her mom first came out of her stall when we bought her - "Wow - her body just doesn't stop!" She is 'black' and leggy, very correct with a white medallion on her head just like her daddy.

One always hopes for a colt when breeding to WESTERN HANOVER and I admit to that hope here - but this a great looking filly out of a family of female champions. After all Chari's mom is NADIAS SISTER and she is a full sister to the immortalized NADIA LOBELL.This one has the makings of another one!

_______________________________________________________________

March 11

Another exciting arrival at Stonebridge tonight. Royal Bait a sister to Chip Mate & to Foreign Waters (the dam of the European champion Toss Out ($1,600,000)) gave birth to a beautiful (seems we use that term a lot) filly by Yankee Paco. This "union" brings together two of the greatest maternal families of all time on the trotting side. Royal Bait is from the great Lady Ann Reed family (her grand dam) & Yankee Paco is from the great Wistful Yankee family. The blood doesn't get much bluer than that!

By the way Yankee Topps- the Prakas mare from Maiden Yankee (Wistful Yankee's most productive daughter) was just pronounced in foal to Striking Sahbra today. How do we know that? Well to tell you the truth she's in the next stall to where tonight's prize was born!

Neat huh?
_______________________________________________________________

March 4

.A beautiful black (well really brown) filly was foaled last night. She is a Jate Lobell out of No Paradise. She has the head & coloring of her daddy and very leggy. This breeding of No Paradise to Jate is interesting. Firstly,No Paradise has bred very well to the No Nukes line giving us Western Paradise(p1:49.0,over $400,000.00) by Western Hanover and - her dam is a half sister to the great world champion Riyadh - who is by Jate himself!!

There's no better feeling than standing in the warmth of a foaling stall on a bitter winter night and witnessing the foaling of such a promising beautiful creature - Okay - Maybe watching her crossing the finish line winning the Fan Hanover! But , that'll come later!

(Note added-Just read that Malacca (No Paradise's Dam) just gave birth to a Jate Lobell foal - making that a 3/4 brother to Riyadh - and lending weight to our (Bart Glass and ourselves) decision to go back to that cross.

No Paradise is going back to Jate this year. Don't mess with success, we figure!

_______________________________________________________________

February 23

Filly - Island Fantasy out of WC Betina. This mare continues to deliver the most exquisitely conformed foals! Visitors to the farm often comment that Betina is one of the handsomest Camluck mares they have seen. She breeds true to that observation. This filly is a leggy thoroughbred looking foal with a beautiful head and eye. In spite of a protracted delivery time she was on her feet before her mom was! This is now three out of three fillies and all of them leave nothing to be desired from a conformation standpoint.

_______________________________________________________________

February 12

Colt - Grinfromeartoear out of Reona Hanover. This week a robust colt was foaled from Reona Hanover. He is a great (by that we mean good & big!) looking colt with a beautiful intelligent head. Being that he is by a son of Artsplace from a full sister to Rodine Hanover - this makes him a 3/4 brother in blood to Real Artist -the hottest first season sire in 2002! Reona will be bred to Artsplace this year to try for a full-brother-in-blood to Real Artist.

_______________________________________________________________

January 23

A cold winter night was warmed up this week by the arrival of a striking filly by Yankee Paco out of Velvia(Supergill-Crimson Robe- Royal Prestige). She is cavorting around the foaling stall. Haven't named her yet

_______________________________________________________________

.March 13 note.

Should note that Velvia's son by Balanced Image -Stonebridge Velvet -distinguished himself last night by winning the Final of The General Brock Series at Woodbine. So that makes him a three/quarter brother to this new addition. I think you're going to hear more from Velvet,.He was severely injured in the field the week before his yearling sale and we had to pull him out of the sale. He didn't train till mid-way through his first year and never raced until this January. He is now 3 wins in his first 4 starts (broke last week at the half and came back with a bleeding quarter-crack). Won the final in 1:57.0! Not bad for a green trotter!

________________________________________________________________

January 2003 New Acquisition

STAR CRUSHER (Sonsam-Starfire Almahurst-Falcon Almahurst)

Star Crusher's claim to fame is that she is the dam of the Canadian 2 year old Pacing Filly of the Year & co-holder of the Horse of the Year (with the great Riyadh). To our remembrance this was the first time that a two year old filly held such an honor!!

That filly was Whenuwishuponastar who won 16 of 17 starts as a 2 year old including Canadian Breeders Classic, Robert Stewart Memorial, Champlain, Harvest & of course OSS Gold, Trillium, and Flamboro's Breeders! She won $578.000 & paced at 1:53.4 as a three year old where she also won Gold OSS & The Hanover Filly Stakes. Star Crusher has only had Camluck fillies & three foals by Troublemaker including Brodericks Road (p,1:53.0,$220.000). She is a sister to the great No Standing Around (p3,1:51.0$373.000) & is a sister to the dam of Artistic Freedom (p1:51 $303.835 ) amongst others.

She is in foal to Camluck- (& we hope she gives us (Cliff Grundy and Stonebridge) a colt this time- her first one by Camluck)- & will return to his court for 2003.

Who doesn't want to see a full brother to that great race mare?
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Note of Interest

Stonebridge now has in our broodmare band (we're not boasting -we're just reporting) a significant percentage of the fastest & richest daughters of Camluck or their dams (or both), Fran Seelster, Stonebridge First, One Fine Cam, Star Crusher, Ripe is Ready, WC Betina are all beautifully conformed mares that have demonstrated their racing genes on the race track or breeding shed. The results of breeding fast, stake-winning, well-conformed Camluck daughters to other dominant stallions such as Artsplace, Western Hanover, and Real Desire, which we started with Stonebridge First and are continuing with One Fine Cam, Betina, and will extend that with Stonebridge Venus, should prove interesting.

History says Good Sires of race horses make Good broodmare Sires. We'll see!

____________________________________________________________________________________

2003 Breedings

Fran Seelster - Western Hanover

Casual Beauty - Western Hanover

Lady Joanna - Real Desire

Charismattic - Real Desire

Stonebridge First - Real Desire

TWOINTHEMORNING - Artsplace

One Fine Cam - Artsplace

Reona Hanover- Artsplace

Trieste Hanover - Camluck

Ripe is Ready - Camluck

Chatelaine Hanover - Camluck

WOULDILIETOU- Camluck

Star Crusher - Camluck

WC Betina - Western Maverick

No Paradise - Jate Lobell

Armbro Nuzzle - Duke of York

Velvia - Duke of York

Royal Bait - Balanced Image

Yankee Topps - Striking Sahbra

___________________________________________________________________________________

Broodmare Acquisitions

December 2002
RIPE IS READY p,3,1:56.2;4,1:53,4. SW of $102,156 (Niatross-Ripe-Abercrombie)

This stunning "black" 16 hand daughter of Niatross was a Stakes Winner of over $100,000 and paced in 1:53.4. She is a 100% producing mare & already the dam of the Ontario Sires Stake Superfinal Winner Fernbank Fiona who has won $400,000 pacing to a record of p,1:52.3f.( Fiona has been timed in p,1:50.3- the speediest daughter of Camluck to date.) "Ready " is in foal to Camluck- carrying a full brother or sister to that Super Final Champion. Incidentally, "Ripe is Ready" is out of a full sister to the dam of the superstar filly Popcorn Penny (p,3,1:50.4,$624,359),and is also the full sister to the Stakes Winning Green Pastures, winner of over $500,000.

"Ready" will be bred back to Camluck in 2003- We're not about to argue with the proven result of this cross!

                                     _______________________________________

CHATELAINE HANOVER p,3,1:55.1 SW of $52.292

(Jate Lobell-Charlotte Hanover-Albatross)

This stakes winning daughter of "Jate" out of the Albatross mare Charlotte Newton was a Stakes winner of $52,000 & had a race record of p,1:55.1. More importantly she is half-sister to the dam of Union Guy (p,1:50.1,$517,586) and Cardmaster Hanover (p,1:50.2, $532,435) among others, and out of a full sister to the dam of Stand And Deliver (p,1:55.3f, $490,675).

She has already had a filly by Real Artist "Cloris", who was an early season champion 2 year old this season (p,1:56.1f) (& then ran into injury problems). She had a good looking colt by Life Sign, "Zion Train", that sold this year & had a Camluck filly this spring. She is carrying a full brother or sister to "Cloris" and will be going back to the court of Camluck in 2003.

                                   ______________________________________

 

LADY JOANNA p,4,1:53.3f SW of $393,805

(Barbary Spur-Lady Boss-Falcon Almahurst).

This truly great mare was impressive on the track winning nearly $400,000 when that was "really something". She picked up where she left off in the breeding shed giving us "Lease on Life" who paced in 1:48.1 & won nearly $300,000. He was fast from the 'get-go' pacing in 1:52.3 as a two year old.

Her Artsplace colt is a beauty! Probably the best she's produced to date- no, unquestionably the best! Look for him in our consignment this fall.

"Lady" is a 100% producer to date, is in foal to the great Artsplace, and will visit the court of what promises to be the most exciting new sire prospect of the decade-Real Desire. This will give a three quarter brother or sister to that 1:48.1 foal she's already had - Lease on Life. Can't wait!

                                      _________________________________________

WOULDILIETOU p,3,1:54.2:$71,705

(No Nukes- Karril Hanover-Albatross).

To say we love this family is redundant. We already have her Cam Fella sister- Twointhemorning! This is a family full of Stakes winners &, going back into this family, each generation is rife with champions, dams of champions, & consistent big-money winners. WOULDILIETOU is a sister to Start the Fire (p,3,1:52.1;$542,276), Before Hours (p,3,1:55.2;$499,418), Deadlock (p,3,1:50.2;$401,965) etc., and Karril Hanover (her dam) is a full sister to Kiev Hanover (p,3,1:50.1;$610,179) and to the dam of Cameleon (p,3,1:51.3;$815,244) & granddam of Givemewhatineed (p,3,1:50;$592,306).

Her Artsplace colt is a solidly built yearling with the attitude to go with his build. He'll get a lot of attention at the yearling sale this year, we have no doubt.

WOULDILIETOU is a 100% producer from her first three foals, and will go to the cross that always works in this family (Cam Fella) by being bred to his son, that Ontario-based and dominant sire, Camluck.