Foundations Farm owners Kevin and Kathy Wallace got the ideal pedigree update for an Army Mule colt they are rolling the dice with Oct. 25, which is Day 3 of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale.
The colt cataloged as Hip 1059 became the half brother to a grade 1 winner when Timberlake (by Into Mischief ) rolled to a 4 1/4-length win Oct. 7 in the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack. Both colts are out of the Irish-bred, stakes-placed Lookin At Lucky mare Pin Up.
The Wallaces bought Hip 1059 nine months ago for $4,500 during the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. Gainesway consigned the colt that was bred in Kentucky by Vinnie Viola’s St. Elias Stable, which campaigned Army Mule with trainer Todd Pletcher. Army Mule, a son of Friesan Fire , had a limited racing career with three starts but he was undefeated and won the 2018 Carter Handicap (G1).
“I love Army Mule. His offspring are doing really well on the racetrack, and he is reasonably priced for the small breeder,” said Kevin Wallace, adding that a small farm owner cannot take on the risk that comes with progeny by stallions standing in the $200,000 range. “Army Mule was at $12,500 and now he is $25,000, so that is within the realm.”
Wallace, who grew up on a small farm in Ireland, also was attracted to the colt’s Irish pedigree. The colt’s second dam is All My Loving, a grade 1-placed daughter of Sadler’s Wells. She is a full sister to group 1 winners Yesterday, who won the Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1), and Quarter Moon, who won the Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1) and was runner-up in the Irish Oaks (G1) and Irish One Thousand Guineas.
“It is a pedigree that would be for the turf,” Wallace said. “Turf racing here is picking up quite a bit, the prize money is more, and the number of horses being bred for the turf is more than it used to be. I can see synthetic surfaces are becoming more popular, and the turf horses run well on the synthetics, too.”
Timberlake has been thriving on the dirt. The colt owned by Siena Farm and WinStar Farm became a winner in his second career start at Ellis Park, where he won by 9 1/4 lengths and earned a 96 Equibase Speed Figure. Trainer Brad Cox saw enough to make the colt’s next start in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. Timberlake faced traffic problems coming out of the turn in the Hopeful and managed to bull his way through a seam between horses but couldn’t overcome an outside charge by Nutella Fella and was second by 1 1/2 lengths at the wire. The Champagne gave Timberlake two wins from four starts and raised his earnings to $375,600.
Pin Up has produced one other winner from her four foals that have started. She is dam of Al Qaqaa, a son of War Front raced by Shadwell that has won in England and the United Arab Emirates.
Wallace acknowledges that Hip 1059 does not have perfect conformation, but he said the colt has plenty of other traits that should make him a viable racing prospect.
“Conformation-wise he would not be the pick of the sale, but he has a good mind, has size, and has scope—he really covers the ground. He has a good walk,” he said. “Not the most correct in front, but I don’t see why that would prevent him from becoming a racehorse.”
As the son of a veterinarian and raised on a farm that always had a few mares, Wallace has spent a lifetime around horses. He came to the United States 26 years ago and holds a trainer’s license. He and Kathy moved to Central Kentucky from Virginia in 2012 and established Foundations Farm in Harrison County, midway between Georgetown and Cynthiana. They have four yearlings consigned to the October sale. Because Wallace is a trainer, he said he has options with Hip 1059.
“If I don’t sell him, then I might keep him and have a bit of fun racing him. If he does half as good as his brother, then I will be happy,” he said.
