We have always looked forward to the first weekend in May, but this Derby weekend in particular is shaping up to be the most exciting ever for our team at Hinkle Farms. If all goes well, three of our mares will be represented by contenders running a trio of G1 races on May 6th and 7th at Churchill Downs.
Weep No More, bred by Hinkle Farms in partnership with Ben Kessinger, shocked us all with her upset in the G1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland earlier this month. After her victory she soon shipped to Louisville where she has been preparing for her next start in the Kentucky Oaks. The 3-YO Mineshaft filly was conceived, foaled, and raised at our farm in Paris before being sold in 2014 as a yearling at Keeneland. She is out of the Storm Cat mare Crosswinds, whose dam is Flute and winner of the 2001 Kentucky Oaks. Crosswinds was offered for sale as a broodmare prospect during the Overbook Farm dispersal in November 2009 and was purchased by Hinkle Farms and Ben Kessinger. Her first foal named Morea, a filly by Indian Charlie, is her only other foal to race. Morea has placed in 2 of her 4 starts. Crosswinds had a colt by Blame in 2015, who will be offered for sale this September. On March 22nd, she foaled a colt by Curlin and has been bred back to Candy Ride.
Divisidero, a 4-YO colt bred and sold by Hinkle Farms won the G2 American Turf S. on Derby Day last year, and is planning to make his next start in the Woodford Reserve Classic on Saturday. Divisidero was the first Hinkle-bred foal out of Madame du Lac, who had already produced graded-stakes placed Kitten’s Kid when we purchased her in 2011. The unraced Lemon Drop Kid mare hails from the family of Almahmoud, and her fourth dam is 1974 Broodmare of the Year Cosmah. Madame du Lac had a colt by Bernardini in 2015, who will be auctioned at Keeneland in September. She foaled a filly by Orb on March 25th and was bred back to Medaglia d'Oro.
We also feel very fortunate to be associated to Nyquist, who is the current favorite for this year's Kentucky Derby. We did not breed the undefeated three-year-old, but we purchased his dam, Seeking Gabrielle, in 2013 when she sold alongside her weanling—who happened to be Nyquist. Seeking Gabrielle was barren in 2014 after being bred once to Curlin. That year she foaled on May 11th and produced a filly by Blame, who was sold by our consignment to Bridlewood Farm last September. This year she foaled late in the afternoon on the same day as Madame du Lac. She had a healthy colt by Flatter and was recently bred back to War Front. We are thrilled for all of Nyquist's connections and congratulate Tim Hyde and the entire Summerhill Farm team for breeding such a great horse. Even though we had no part in Nyquist's upbringing, nor can we take any credit for his success, we are thrilled to have his mother on the farm and to have gotten the opportunity to visit Nyquist in training with Doug O’Neill.
For our relatively small breeding operation this unfolding of events is almost too much to believe. We are overwhelmed by the recent good fortune and feel very blessed to be here. No matter what happens next weekend, we will always be grateful for this moment--to even be in this position is already a dream come true.
We would like to congratulate the connections of Divisidero, Weep No More, and Nyquist for all of their success up to this point, including, but not limited to, Gunpower Farms, Buff Bradley, Josh Stevens, Maria Kabel, Rafael Hernandez, Ashbrook Farm, David Ingordo, Mayberry Farm, Rusty Arnold, Jack Bohannan, Corey Lanerie, Paul Reddam, Doug O'Neill, Dennis O'Neill, Jack Sisterson, Johnny Garcia, and Mario Gutierrez.
Best of luck to all contenders next weekend, and may each runner cross the finish line safely.
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