Breeders' Cup World Championships
Students pose with their University of Arizona-bred yearling “Kayak”.
This fall, students made a trip to Pomona, California, to attend the Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearling sale. While there, they were quickly recruited by office staff to assist in the identification process of all the yearlings and learned that Fasig-Tipton is the only major sales company in the United States to utilize tail tags as part of the identification process. The tail tags act as a double check to ensure on sale day that each horse receives the correct hip number sticker and when the horse leaves the grounds, the new owners have the correct horse. On sale day, the students assisted further by applying the hip numbers on each horse after a double check of the tail tag.
Students spent time speaking with Tom Clark, owner of Rancho San Miguel, and watched as the well-oiled machine of Tom and his team expertly cared for and showed their string of nearly forty horses. Amongst that string was Hip#139, a University of Arizona-bred, by Danzing Candy out of Savvy Lady. This colt is affectionately known as “Kayak” to the students who have helped raise and train him over the past year at the Al Marah Equine Center in Tucson.
Stephanie listens closely as bloodstock agent Gayle Van Leer looks at horses for her clients.
When not assisting the Fasig-Tipton office or the Rancho San Miguel team, students met up with bloodstock agent Gayle Van Leer, who brought them along as she observed several yearlings for her clients. Students learned about what to look for in a prospective racehorse, what can be lived with and what is an automatic no. As the first horses entered the ring on sale day students excitedly checked their observation notes to try to guess what each horse would sell for based on their earlier observations.
As the time for Kayak to enter the ring neared, students gathered at the Rancho San Miguel barn to observe the final moments of prep and escort their yearling. Kayak was a professional in the ring and was ultimately purchased by Luis Quinones Jr.
We extend our thanks to the Fasig-Tipton office, Susann and Candice, Tom Clark, and Gayle Van Leer for all the opportunities and wish the best of luck to Mr. Quinones and Kayak.