Principe Guilherme’s victory boosts Tapit’s Beyer standing

The regally bred Principe Guilherme romped by 11 3/4 lengths in an optional-claiming event Saturday at Fair Grounds, moving forward toward the New Orleans track’s series of Kentucky Derby preps. The eye-opening performance served as an exclamation point as perennial leading sire Tapit closes the year strongly with his juveniles.

Principe Guilherme earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 92, the highest number of the year for one of Tapit’s 2-year-olds. A Three Chimneys Farm homebred who is out of the Grade 1-winning Street Sense mare Aubby K, Principe Guilherme had posted an 88 winning his debut last month at Churchill Downs.

While Tapit, who stands at Gainesway, was dethroned in 2017 from his record-setting three-year run atop the progeny earnings list, he did factor prominently in Daily Racing Form’s exclusive Beyer Sire Performance Standings general sires list. He is represented by 34 individual starters who have earned Beyers of 90 or above this season, giving him the most runners to hit that benchmark figure on the season.

Principe Guilherme led a productive weekend for Tapit’s juveniles. The stallion was also represented by Zing Zang, who won a maiden special weight Saturday at Fair Grounds with a Beyer of 81; He Takes Charge, from the immediate family of champions Will Take Charge and Take Charge Brandi, who ran a creditable second in a Gulfstream maiden with a 76; and Marconi, who won his maiden at Aqueduct with a 74 in his second start. Marconi, a half brother to Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man, was a $2 million purchase at the Keeneland September yearling sale.

Fear the Cowboy lifts Cowboy Cal

Fear the Cowboy won the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park to put his name into consideration for the $16 million Pegasus World Cup. In the process, he didn’t just earn the highest Beyer Speed Figure of his career, or the top number among this past weekend’s stakes runners – he earned the top figure of sire Cowboy Cal’s career.

Fear the Cowboy posted a Beyer of 105 for his 2 1/4-length victory. Cowboy Cal, who now stands in Korea, is represented by five runners who have turned in Beyer Speed Figures of 90 or higher this season, for a total of 15 figures to reach that benchmark. According to Daily Racing Form’s Beyer Sire Performance Standings, 5 percent of his runners have met or exceeded 90 this season. Among stallions with 100 or more starters, that figure matches accomplished sires such as Pioneerof the Nile, and is higher than a group including Awesome Again and Into Mischief.

Fear the Cowboy, already a multiple stakes winner, has powered his sire by enjoying the best season of his career as a 5-year-old. He owns wins in the Harlan’s Holiday and the Grade 3 Skip Away Stakes, both at Pegasus World Cup host track Gulfstream. He won the West Virginia Governor’s Stakes at Mountaineer and placed in four other stakes at four tracks.

“[The Pegasus World Cup] is a tough race, but we are open to probably taking a chance, because on this track he runs well,” trainer Efren Loza Jr., said. “He’s an amazing horse. He’s traveled a lot these years.”

Fear the Cowboy was bred by the University of Kentucky’s equine program at Maine Chance Farm, and was sold by the program for $1,500 as a short yearling at the 2013 FasigTipton February mixed sale.

Uncle Mo auction raises $220k

Coolmore and Mike Repole will donate a total of $220,000 to the Thoroughbred Charities of America’s Horses First Fund following the sale of two no-guarantee seasons to champion Uncle Mo to benefit racehorses and their caretakers displaced by the wildfires that devastated California’s San Luis Rey training center earlier this month.

Coolmore and Repole initially put forward the 2018 season to Uncle Mo to benefit the fund. Prominent owner and breeder Gary Barber won the auction, which concluded last week with a final bid of $110,000, fending off competition from Tom VanMeter, Joe Allen, Tom Ryan of SF Bloodstock, Ken Donworth, and Craig Bernick of Glen Hill Farm.

Following the auction, Juddmonte Farms offered to match the winning bid if a second season was made available, adding another $110,000 to the donation.

Uncle Mo, who raced in Repole’s colors and stands at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky, stands for an advertised fee of $125,000. The leading freshman sire of 2015, he was represented by 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist in his first crop and leads the thirdcrop sire list.