Woods Working. Eddie Woods keeps his customers happy BY CLAIRE NOVAK PHOTOS BY LOUISE E. REINAGEL. BloodHorseNOW.com

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1 Woods Working BY CLAIRE NOVAK PHOTOS BY LOUISE E. REINAGEL Eddie Woods keeps his customers happy 856 THE BLOOD-HORSE FEBRUARY 9, 2008

2 SOUTHEAST ALABAMA There s a bit of a thrill about what I do, said Eddie Woods, when asked to describe his profession of buying, selling, and breaking Thoroughbred horses. There s a gradual buildup to a great crescendo if your system works. And Woods system is working just fine it punches out one solid runner after another. Graduates of his program include TVG Breeders Cup Sprint (gr. I) winner Midnight Lute, Eclipse Award winner Left Bank, and the multiple grade I-winning Borrego not to mention the horses with black-type credentials that join his roster on a regular basis. (continued on page 860) FLORIDA GEORGIA MISSISSIPPI NORTH CAROLINA SOUTH CAROLINA TENNESSEE In This Section 2007 Leading Florida Sires by Earnings 2008 Leading Florida Sires by Earnings Advertisers Index Adena Springs Apache Farm Hartley/ De Renzo Thoroughbreds Martin Stables NATC caption 857

3 SOUTHEAST 2007 Leading Sires in Florida State sire lists updated daily online. Go to com/sirelists.asp For stallions that stand, will stand, or stood (deceased) in Florida (exported stallions are excluded), and have runners in North America. Listed below are all available statistics for the Northern Hemisphere through December 31, As supplied to The Blood-Horse by The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc., earnings exclude monies from Japan and Hong Kong. *Foal counts include Southern Hemisphere. Cumulative stakes winners includes all countries. (A indicates a sire represented by his first crop to race). Rank 2008 Stud Fee Rnrs/ Wnrs Stakes Wnrs/ Wns Rstrct SW/ BT SW 2007 Earnings Cumulative Stks *A-E Wnrs Index Stallion (Foaling Year, Sire), Farm Standing (Chief Earner, Earnings) Foals 1 TRIPPI (97, End Sweep), Ocala Stud Farm $12, /84 5/10 1/5 (Miss Macy Sue, $546,217) $4,392, MONTBROOK (90, Buckaroo), Ocala Stud Farm $10, /93 4/4 2/4 (Bentrovhto, $159,020) $3,486, NOTEBOOK (85, Well Decorated) Died, /63 4/4 2/4 (Diamond Stripes, $588,645) $3,033, CONCERTO (94, Chief s Crown), Ocala Stud Farm $7, /76 3/8 1/3 (Finallymadeit, $362,450) $3,019, DOUBLE HONOR (95, Gone West), Get Away Farm $3, /81 4/7 2/4 (Double Action, $188,335) $3,013, PUT IT BACK (98, Honour and Glory), Bridlewood Farm $7,500 85/58 6/13 1/6 (Smokey Stover, $471,000) $2,863,536 * HALO S IMAGE (91, Halo), Bridlewood Farm $7, /76 3/3 0/3 (Hal s My Hope, $125,250) $2,826,848 * ALPHABET SOUP (91, Cozzene), Adena Springs South $10, /72 3/4 2/3 (Silver Swallow, $185,478) $2,546,481 * SWEETSOUTHERNSAINT (95, Saint Ballado), Ocala Stud Farm $3,500 91/53 3/3 0/3 (Sweetnorthernsaint, $229,375) $2,293, STRAIGHT MAN (96, Saint Ballado), Signature Stallions $6, /58 3/3 1/3 (Get Funky, $181,932) $2,134, CONCORDE S TUNE (89, Concorde Bound), Ocala Stud Farm $3, /57 2/2 0/2 (Tune of the Spirit, $95,160) $1,886, THREE WONDERS (97, Storm Cat), Hidden Point Farm $7,500 92/56 1/1 1/1 (Calico Bay, $331,300) $1,844, TOUR D OR (82, Medaille d Or) Died, /48 3/3 0/3 (Take D Tour, $395,000) $1,843, WEST ACRE (95, Forty Niner), Stonehedge Farm South $5,000 70/40 3/3 0/3 (Forty Acres, $137,620) $1,815, GRAEME HALL (97, Dehere), Winding Oaks Farm $5,000 71/46 0/0 0/0 (Graeme Six, $136,261) $1,749, MECKE (92, Maudlin), Ocala Stud Farm $3,500 79/42 2/4 0/2 (Mecke Daugther, $165,738) $1,527, PENTELICUS (84, Fappiano) Died, /39 1/2 0/1 (Mach Ride, $434,250) $1,499, FORMAL DINNER (88, Well Decorated), Hidden Point Farm $5,000 92/50 0/0 0/0 (Coli Bear, $178,805) $1,385,851 * FORTUNATE PROSPECT (81, Northern Prospect) Pnsd 72/50 1/1 0/1 (Fortunate Trail, $119,240) $1,348, ADCAT (95, Storm Cat) N/A 83/48 1/3 0/1 (Cat Can Do, $135,170) $1,340,984 * UNTUTTABLE (96, Unbridled), Stonehedge Farm South $5,000 64/33 3/3 0/3 (Unplugged, $172,830) $1,311, PROUD AND TRUE (94, Mr. Prospector), Double Diamond Farm $2,500 65/29 1/6 0/1 (True Metropolitan, $441,268) $1,240, COLONY LIGHT (89, Pleasant Colony), Rising Hill Farm $2,500 83/34 3/4 0/3 (Batavia Light, $160,730) $1,222, WISED UP (95, Dixieland Band), Rising Hill Farm $3,500 40/18 2/4 1/2 (Wise Answer, $458,300) $1,040, RED BULLET (97, Unbridled), Adena Springs South $10,000 53/18 0/0 0/0 (Blue Bullet, $89,898) $1,000, WEKIVA SPRINGS (91, Runaway Groom), Double Diamond Farm $2,500 72/30 0/0 0/0 (Sunny Jim, $98,760) $972, B L S APPEAL (97, Valid Appeal), Randolph Thoroughbreds $2,500 46/29 1/1 0/1 (Shes Appealing, $83,420) $952, UNBRIDLED TIME (98, Unbridled s Song), Signature Stallions $5,000 66/39 0/0 0/0 (Notice Me Now, $113,517) $945, TACTICAL ADVANTAGE (90, Forty Niner) Died, /28 1/1 0/1 (Precisely That, $106,070) $901,969 * TEXAS GLITTER (96, Glitterman), Signature Stallions $4,000 60/31 0/0 0/0 (Texas Starlet, $82,474) $870, CIMARRON SECRET (91, Tejano), Cimarron Farm $1,250 42/21 1/3 0/1 (Lookinforthesecret, $192,580) $869, SWORD DANCE (IRE) (84, Nijinsky II) Pnsd 64/27 0/0 0/0 (Ryan s for Real, $139,055) $848,510 * D WILDCAT (98, Forest Wildcat), Vinery Stud $6,500 25/7 2/2 1/2 (Authenicat, $190,216) $842, MAX S PAL (97, Marquetry), Lambholm South $2,500 53/29 1/1 1/1 (Max s Gal, $81,340) $792, MASTER BILL (93, Forty Niner), Eclipse Farm N/A 45/25 1/2 0/1 (Bill Place, $157,952) $755, REPENT (99, Louis Quatorze), Vinery Stud $5,000 44/18 2/2 0/2 (Check It Twice, $144,500) $714, SKIP TRIAL (82, Bailjumper) N/A 50/25 0/0 0/0 (Jacknows, $77,632) $624,120 * FRENCH ENVOY (96, Deputy Minister), Stonehedge Farm South $5,000 45/23 1/1 0/1 (Subtle Aly, $91,028) $619, HONOR GLIDE (94, Honor Grades), Bridlewood Farm $2,500 50/21 0/0 0/0 (So Much Ease, $64,430) $605, DILIGENCE (93, Miswaki), Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds $3,500 49/20 0/0 0/0 (Johnny My Boy, $65,210) $593, WEEKEND CRUISE (97, A.P. Indy), Ups and Downs $2,000 51/17 0/0 0/0 (Sister Sissy, $68,585) $528, OPS SMILE (92, Caveat), Heavens Gate Farm $1,000 40/12 1/1 0/1 (Christmas Stocking, $127,100) $487, MONGOOSE (98, Broad Brush), Journeyman Stud N/A 33/17 1/1 0/1 (Mongoose Gold, $96,494) $483, MILWAUKEE BREW (97, Wild Again), Adena Springs South $7,500 40/15 0/0 0/0 (Salomea, $84,572) $471, WIND WHIPPER (96, Storm Cat), The Nursery Farm N/A 52/18 0/0 0/0 (Luis s Especial, $121,549) $438, STAR OF VALOR (93, Phone Trick) Died, /14 0/0 0/0 (Stars n Amber, $67,860) $437, SAFELY S MARK (94, Danzig), Rising Hill Farm $2,500 19/13 1/1 0/1 (Thisonesforsam, $104,420) $434, ISLAND WHIRL (78, Pago Pago) Pnsd 25/17 1/1 1/1 (Foreverness, $72,082) $432,442 * INVISIBLE INK (98, Thunder Gulch), Rising Hill Farm $3,500 26/11 2/3 0/2 (Fearless Eagle, $162,890) $425, STACK (82, Nijinsky II) Pnsd 42/16 1/1 0/1 (She s Stacked, $50,872) $408,458 * MISTER JOLIE (90, Valid Appeal) Died, /15 0/0 0/0 (Mister Supremo, $132,650) $404, FULL MANDATE (99, A.P. Indy), Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds $5,000 48/12 1/1 0/1 (Thoroughly, $58,725) $392, MIGRATING MOON (90, Silver Buck), Ups and Downs N/A 32/17 0/0 0/0 (Lunar Rendezvous, $64,735) $387, NOACTOR (89, Theatrical) N/A 39/22 0/0 0/0 (Baycation, $46,870) $385, MARCO BAY (90, Copelan), Sugar Oaks Farm $3,000 13/8 1/1 0/1 (Buzzards Bay, $200,400) $384, DREWMAN (98, Unbridled), Ocala Stud Farm $2,500 27/12 0/0 0/0 (Cigar Man, $105,200) $375, THE SILVER MOVE (94, Silver Buck) N/A 22/14 0/0 0/0 (Kris Silver, $61,090) $374, TRUST N LUCK (00, Montbrook), Vinery Stud $3,500 32/9 1/1 0/1 (Wonderful Luck, $98,846) $370, THE NAME S JIMMY (89, Encino), Signature Stallions $1,500 26/12 1/1 0/1 (Jimmy s Boy, $82,550) $368, CYBERSPACE (94, Forty Niner) N/A 28/14 0/0 0/0 (Devil in Space, $78,665) $366, SLIGO BAY (IRE) (98, Sadler s Wells), Adena Springs South $7,500 28/9 1/1 0/1 (Wind in My Wings, $133,308) $363, FORBIDDEN APPLE (95, Pleasant Colony), Bridlewood Farm $2,500 30/10 0/0 0/0 (Forbidden Image, $71,915) $344, NORTHERN TREND (88, Sunny North) Died, /19 0/0 0/0 (Northern Buster, $43,510) $340,964 * PARENTS REWARD (98, Mr. Prospector), Lou-Roe Farm N/A 14/6 2/4 2/2 (Mini Mom, $122,002) $339, GIBSON COUNTY (97, In Excess), Ocala Stud Farm $3,000 21/14 0/0 0/0 (American County, $103,799) $325, JEBLAR (82, Alydar) Died, /12 1/1 1/1 (Calisthenic, $73,260) $304, CONSCIENCE CLEAR (97, Relaunch), Martin Stables South N/A 15/9 0/0 0/0 (Individual King, $58,391) $286, GULF STORM (97, Storm Cat), Lou-Roe Farm $3,500 39/12 2/2 0/2 (Ogygian s Storm, $52,191) $286, MONSIEUR CAT (98, Tabasco Cat), Rising Hill Farm $1,250 21/11 0/0 0/0 (Morning Frost, $47,680) $273, DARN THAT ALARM (81, Jig Time) Died, /9 0/0 0/0 (Alarming Anytime, $97,499) $270,358 * *A-E and COMPARABLE INDEX: The lifetime Average-Earnings Index indicates how much purse money the progeny of one sire has earned, on the average, in relation to the average earnings of all runners in the same years; average earnings of all runners in any year is represented by an index of The Comparable Index indicates the average earnings of progeny produced from mares bred to one sire, when these same mares were bred to other sires. Only 32% of all sires have a lifetime AEI higher than their mares Comparable Index. *Comp Index 858 THE BLOOD-HORSE FEBRUARY 9, 2008

4 El Nino Graded stakes-placed Storm Cat from a family of champions call for details 1st dam BAY HARBOR, by Forty Niner. 2 wins in 4 starts at 2, $52,901. Dam of 7 registered foals, 6 of racing age, including a 2-year-old of 2007, 5 to race, 3 winners-- El Nino (c. by Storm Cat). Stakes-placed winner, see record. Mach Speed (g. by A.P. Indy). 8 wins, 2 to 6, 2007, $284,981. Puget Sound (c. by Capote). Winner at 2 and 4, $101,232. Crosswater (f. by Storm Cat). Placed in 1 start at 2, 2007, $5,200. 2nd dam HARBOR SPRINGS, by Vice Regent. 7 wins in 11 starts at 3 and 4, $123,038, Wishing Well S. [L] (TP, $27,966), 2nd Holiday Inaugural S. [L] (TP, $10,000). Dam of 4 other winners, including-- BOSTON HARBOR (c. by Capote). 6 wins in 8 starts at 2, $1,934,605, champion 2-year-old colt, Breeders' Cup Juvenile [G1], Breeders' Futurity [G2], Bashford Manor S. [G3], Kentucky Cup Juvenile S. [G3], Ellis Park Juvenile S. [L] (ELP, $62,500), 2nd Sanford S. [G3]. Sire. 3rd dam TINNITUS, by Restless Wind. Placed at 3. Sister to Resting Wind ($20,054), half-sister to MAYHEDO ($92,330, Del Mar Derby, etc., sire). Dam of-- GROOVY. 12 wins to 4, $1,346,956, champion sprinter, Vosburgh S. [G1], Forego H. [G2] twice, Tom Fool S. [G2] twice, True North H. [G2]-ntr, etc. HARBOR SPRINGS. Stakes winner, above. Kentucky Jazz. 3 wins at 2 and 3, $124,700, 3rd Silver Screen H. [G3], etc. Dancitus. 4 wins to 4, $94,065, 3rd Senorita S. (LAD, $3,300). Dam of-- Miss Maggie. 4 wins, $107,410, 2nd Toes Knows S.-R (LRL, $7,805), etc. Commander Dusty. 7 wins, 4 to 6, $82,577, 3rd Crossroads H. (RP, $4,419). Cookie. Winner at 3, $20,400. Dam of SKY SOLDIER (4 wins, $95,400). My Dancing Lady. Winner. Granddam of Time Banshee ($62,360), etc. Kissie. Unraced. Dam of KOREA (in Argentina), Slate Run (4 wins, $92,- 637, 3rd Ack Ack H. [G3] (CD, $16,530)), Count the Kisses ($83,273). RACE RECORD: At 2, once 2nd; at 3, three wins, 3 times 2nd (Forestry H. (CD, $14,140), Awad S. (AP, $8,325)), once 3rd (Amsterdam S. [G2] (SAR, $15,000)). Earned $153,849. Quality Speed & Pedigree El Nino STORM CAT BAY HARBOR, by FORTY NINER 2008 Fee: $5,000, live foal S&N Considerations for multiple breedings El Nino is out of a half-sister to Champion Two-Year-Old BOSTON HARBOR-G1, a record juvenile winner of $1,928,605 and sire of 19 SWs including a Grade I millionaire. His stakes winning second dam is a half-sister to Champion Sprinter GROOVY-G1. Grade 2 stakes placed over 6 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga. El Nino consistently set opening fractions of :21 and change during his career. He also won at 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.74, just.26 off the fastest 6 1/2 f. time at Churchill in Contract requests: (352) NW 165th St., Reddick, FL (former location of Marablue stallions) MARTIN STABLES SOUTH Eddie Martin, Owner Also Standing: Conscience Clear, Sarava, Spanish Steps, The Daddy

5 SOUTHEAST 2008 Leading Sires in Florida State sire lists updated daily online. Go to com/sirelists.asp For stallions that stand, will stand, or stood (deceased) in Florida (exported stallions are excluded), and have runners in North America. Listed below are all available statistics for the Northern Hemisphere through January 30, As supplied to The Blood-Horse by The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc., earnings exclude monies from Japan and Hong Kong. *Foal counts include Southern Hemisphere. Cumulative stakes winners includes all countries. (A indicates a sire represented by his first crop to race). Rank 2008 Stud Fee Rnrs/ Wnrs Stakes Wnrs/ Wns Rstrct SW/ BT SW 2008 Earnings Cumulative Stks *A-E Wnrs Index Stallion (Foaling Year, Sire), Farm Standing (Chief Earner, Earnings) Foals 1 PUT IT BACK (98, Honour and Glory), Bridlewood Farm $7,500 37/7 1/2 0/1 (In Summation, $155,340) $318,935 * HALO S IMAGE (91, Halo), Bridlewood Farm $7,500 55/9 0/0 0/0 (Heaven Sent, $32,800) $256,429 * TRIPPI (97, End Sweep), Ocala Stud Farm $12,500 54/10 1/1 0/1 (Gold Trippi, $30,800) $231,337 * STRAIGHT MAN (96, Saint Ballado), Signature Stallions $6,000 45/8 0/0 0/0 (Robbie s Gal, $51,000) $204, MONTBROOK (90, Buckaroo), Ocala Stud Farm $10,000 59/10 0/0 0/0 (Bentrovhto, $25,175) $188, CONCERTO (94, Chief s Crown), Ocala Stud Farm $7,500 49/9 0/0 0/0 (Hewitts, $34,200) $184, DOUBLE HONOR (95, Gone West), Get Away Farm $3,500 43/5 0/0 0/0 (Handsome Reward, $49,634) $181, NOTEBOOK (85, Well Decorated) Died, /6 0/0 0/0 (Diamond Stripes, $80,000) $164, GRAEME HALL (97, Dehere), Winding Oaks Farm $5,000 28/10 0/0 0/0 (Wishing Wishes, $28,800) $153, RED BULLET (97, Unbridled), Adena Springs South $10,000 20/5 1/1 0/1 (Paint Me Red, $48,510) $151, *A-E and COMPARABLE INDEX: The lifetime Average-Earnings Index indicates how much purse money the progeny of one sire has earned, on the average, in relation to the average earnings of all runners in the same years; average earnings of all runners in any year is represented by an index of The Comparable Index indicates the average earnings of progeny produced from mares bred to one sire, when these same mares were bred to other sires. Only 32% of all sires have a lifetime AEI higher than their mares Comparable Index. *Comp Index (continued from page 857) If you saw Woods in his native Ireland about 30 years ago, he was probably galloping down to the wire aboard a hearty steeplechaser. In those days he wouldn t have cast himself as a leading pinhooker on the North American racing scene, nor would he have predicted the success of the Florida training center that bears his name. But if there s one thing this experienced horseman has learned, it s that life doesn t always go according to plan especially in the racing business. As they watched little Eddie school their horses over jumps at his father s livery stable in Ireland, Thoroughbred owners had no inkling that the scrappy young rider would play a part in the development of an Eclipse Award champion and multiple grade I winners. In fact, the first years of Woods life were spent on horseback because, as he put it, we rode whether we liked it or not. The eldest of eight children, Woods was born into the racing industry in His father, Paddy Woods, had opened a training stable after he retired from race riding, and the young Woods found himself riding and caring for horses on a daily basis. He was in the saddle every morning before school, and returned in the afternoons to muck stalls, feed ponies, and go jumping. Fox and stag hunting were regular activities, and an almost mandatory trip to the racetrack was made nearly every Saturday. By the time Woods reached his early teens, horsemanship had become the main focus of his life. When you re 14 or 15, you ve got no sense at that age, he said. All you want to do is ride races, so you ride races and get lucky and ride a few winners, and you re At the Eddie Woods Training Center, each horse receives individual attention hooked. You don t come around to your senses for a long while. When Woods was 18, his pursuit of a steeplechase jockey s career took him from Ireland to a stint in England with the late Fred Rimell, a trainer of legendary status. It was like six years of higher education, recalled Woods, now 50. The English etiquette of how you do things was enormous. It was my first introduction to dealing with wealthy people as clients, and it taught me not to be intimidated. About 10 years later, Woods hung up his racing tack. A combination of fading business and hard knocks had him considering another career, and although he hadn t ever thought of moving to the United States, it became clear to him that opportunities were not abundant in his native land. Training was for the birds back then unless you were pretty well-connected, he explained. The top guys did well, but the rest just got by. Even now, when you see the results from home, they pretty much involve the same yards, and if you can t get into that clique, you re not really qualified to do that well. Then 28, Woods considered pursuing a position with one of the new farms that were springing up across the country under Arab ownership, but his experience with mares and foals was extremely limited. With zero qualifications on the mare thing, he decided to seek experience and employment in the U.S. Offered a position at Cashel Stud, he arrived in Ocala, Fla., Jan. 11, But while he felt at home in Ocala s verdant horse country, it took him a few weeks to find his true calling. The mare thing was way too slow, he said. It bored me to tears. Six days a week, bringing em in, feeding, teasing, turning em back out it was like Ground- 860 THE BLOOD-HORSE FEBRUARY 9, 2008

6 North America s LEADING BREEDER for the PAST 10 YEARS, with earnings exceeding $100,000,000 proudly presents Seventh Annual BUFFALO MAN-G sale graduate 2008 Graded SW of $318,139 ADENA SPRINGS TWO YEAR OLDS in Training Sale UNPARALLELED TWO-YEAR-OLD SALE SUCCESS 934 races won 290 winners 60 stakes horses 30 stakes winners $29,000,000 in earnings An Unprecedented Rate of Return GINGER PUNCH-G sale graduate 2007 Eclipse Champion, $2,176, % Return from the first five sales Monday, March 17, :30 p.m. Adena Springs South Williston, Florida For pre-sale inspections (352) Under Tack Shows Wednesday, March 5-8:30 a.m. Sunday, March 16-8:30 a.m. For catalogs and sale information Ocala Breeders Sales Company (352) PAINT ME RED 2007 sale graduate 2008 New York 3yo SW

7 SOUTHEAST The center boasts 240 acres, 140-plus stalls, a mile track, and a seven-eighths-mile turf course; inset, champion Left Bank is a graduate from Woods program hog Day every day. I knew I wasn t comfortable where I was at. He wasn t happy; you could tell he needed a change, said Johanne Everard, owner of the Ocala-based Another Episode Farm. My former husband had gone to school with his parents, so we were like his American family. I said, Come down and work for us, and he jumped at the chance. At first, Woods hopped into the saddle as an exercise rider. But he didn t stop there. Before long, he was representing Another Episode at sales across the country. He d sit here at night and read books and books and books, said Everard. He s always been focused and very interested in what he does. We knew he was gonna go somewhere. In the early 1990s, Bobby Spalding had taken over the farm manager s position at Jack Kent Cooke s Elmendorf Farm. With a ADAM COGLIANESE background in commercial breeding and sales, he didn t know much about breaking and training, and knew he had to find a trustworthy horseman to take on the farm s yearlings. Eddie Woods name kept coming up. I d already done a lot of interviews and still wasn t sure I d met the right person for the job, said Spalding, now farm manager for Stonerside. Eddie came out to Elmendorf and within the first five minutes I knew he was our guy. His expertise with horses was amazing. He has this knack, this inner sense about him. Woods had just gone out on his own with then-wife Gayle Woods (who now manages Gayle Woods Training and Sales in Ocala), renting stall space on a farm in Florida. When Elmendorf sent about 30 horses to the couple in 1994, Spalding was impressed with the results. It was amazing how many times Eddie was right, how quickly he could identify the better horses in a crop, said Spalding. I left things strictly up to him; we kept and culled horses at the time based solely upon his recommendation, and I don t ever remember proving him wrong. Other individuals in the racing industry were quick to note Woods abilities, especially when Antespend, a graduate of his conditioning program, won the Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) for Cooke in The ADAM COGLIANESE next year, trainer Nick Zito purchased a graduate of Woods program from Elmendorf for Rick Pitino s Celtic Pride Stable, and Halory Hunter went on to win the 1998 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. II). He was kind of needing it, and we definitely were, said Spalding. It was a blessing that we met each other, almost like it was meant to be. The basics of training a racehorse do not vary from country to country. A horse is a horse. Still, when Woods came to the U.S., he quickly discovered that most North American Thoroughbreds were on fasttrack systems that varied greatly from the traditional methods of his native land. The approaches are similar now, but when I first came, it was very different, he said. At home, we d see the vet once a month. Here, you see him every day. Back then, we just took care of stuff on our own and let time cure things. Now, time isn t allowed. Every horse has an agenda he s gotta make the weanling sale, the yearling sale, the 2-year-old sale. With a highquality horse, we aren t allowed the luxury of saying, Turn him out; he ll be OK in six months. At the Eddie Woods Training Center, a balance between the two extremes is sought. While horses heading toward the 2-year-olds in training sales are typically placed on a more aggressive program, others amble along with an eventual move 862 THE BLOOD-HORSE FEBRUARY 9, 2008

8 to the racing ranks in mind. Each horse is treated as an individual. Eddie has always been patient, said Spalding. He d call me and say, Look, don t get in a hurry on this yearling; he just needs more time. On the other hand, said Woods, sometimes you just have to go on. You know in a perfect world, you d like to have more time, but that s not always going to happen, he said. Still, we ve had recent horses that have done well on a slower program. Street Sense won the (Bessemer Trust) Breeders Cup Juvenile (gr. I), but he was reserved. Curlin didn t show up until later. They were probably better horses because they were given the time, whether they needed it physically or mentally. If you look at all the blazing fast 2-year-olds from August, a great number have just fallen off the radar. Woods purchased his 240-acre spread complete with four barns, more than 140 stalls, 30 paddocks, a mile track, and a seven-eighths-mile turf course in There, the horseman manages approximately 45 employees through the busy season. As trainer Kiaran McLaughlin recounted after a recent visit to Ocala, Woods organizational skills are second to none. I visited Eddie s training facility this winter and was very impressed with him as a leader of his team, said McLaughlin, who has received horses from Woods center in the past. He communicates with great organization and has everybody in the right place at the right time. It was very impressive for me to watch him train the babies. He s a great guy and does a great job. While Woods training program is a key component of his operation, he built his reputation and his business by pinhooking. A member of the National Association of Two-year-old Consignors (NATC), he seeks to turn over his stock in seven to eight months, employing his sharp skills to select and present top 2- year-olds to his buyers. At the end of the day, that s where it s at, he said. We do a bit of short-listing for owners, but we do a lot of pinhooking for clients and ourselves. We don t use Wall Street; we use the sales company. One recent star to emerge from Woods program is TVG Breeders Cup Sprint winner Midnight Lute. Purchased by Tom McGreevey, a longtime client of Woods, in the name of McGreevey s Caldera Racing for $70,000 at Keeneland s September yearling sale in 2004, the Real Quiet colt sold privately for $300,000 after failing to meet his $290,000 reserve at the OBS select sale of 2-year-olds in training in March of Trainer Bob Baffert arranged the deal for the partnership of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman. I like the way he prepares his horses, Baffert said of Woods. I ve had good luck buying from his 2-year-old consignments. He s very knowledgeable, and when you ask him a question, he ll tell it like it is. Not all days are gonna be good days, said Spalding. But Eddie seems to have a way of telling bad news so that when you get off the phone with him, you don t feel as bad. He s as honest as they come. People can walk up to his barn at the 2- year-old sales and he ll say, No, you aren t looking for the type of horse I have; I don t have anything to sell you. And he can do that. He s that respected. Never one to sing his own praises, Woods attributes his success in life to a solid foundation and good fortune. He said he s taking the future one day at a time, more than content to spend life with his 13-year-old son, David, and partner Angela Mellerick. I ve been very lucky, he said. I was lucky enough that after I got my feet on the ground in the U.S., I always knew what I wanted to do and was in the right spot at the right time. Now, my main goal is to sell nice horses and keep people happy. And if he matches his current track record, he ll be doing just that for a long time to come. b Two DYNAMIC Stallions to AROUSE Your Interest! First foals arriving soon! To see more photos and future foal pictures of Arouse visit AROUSE Lure Buena Noche, by Quiet American The ONLY son of Breeders Cup Mile- G1 winner LURE standing in the U.S.! From the Broodmare sire line of BERNARDINI, SAINT LIAM, WHYWHYWHY, SPELLBINDER and LUNARPAL! DYNAMOMETER Dynaformer Fly North, by Pleasant Colony By the sire of G1 SW millionaires BARBARO, MCDYNAMO, LUCARNO, etc. Half-brother to Champion FARDA AMIGA ($1,282,302, Alabama S.-G1, etc.) SW dam is out of a half-sister to proven sires ST. JOVITE, SALEM DRIVE, LAC OUIMET. Family of Champion SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE, etc. Dosage: ; DI: 3.00; CD: $1,500 LF (due Sept. 1 of year bred; special consideration to approved mares) Nominated to Breeders Cup Dosage: ; DI: 1.81; CD: $1,000 LF (due Sept. 1 of year bred) Nominated to Breeders Cup APACHE FARM Camden, SC (803) moriartyj19@cs.com First foals arriving 2008! BARBARA D. LIVINGSTON PHOTOS THE BLOOD-HORSE FEBRUARY 9,

9 Sunshine Millions Forever Florida Owner Peter Vegso experienced the ultimate thrill when two of his Florida homebreds rolled to victory in the Sunshine Millions Jan. 26. First, War Monger claimed the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Turf at Gulfstream. A few moments later, Go Between dashed to victory in the $1-million Frank s Energy Drink Sunshine Millions Classic at Santa Anita. The resulting happy owner is what the Sunshine Millions competition pitting Californiabred horses against their Florida-bred counterparts is all about. It was quite a feeling, almost surreal in terms of time frame, Vegso said when interviewed by phone a few days after the double score. After watching War Monger and spending a little time in the winner s circle, all of the sudden it was like Holy cow, we gotta get to the TV and see Go Between do his thing! I thought, Well, you win one of these; you don t get two. It was like the room went into suspended animation as he was moving to the finish line. It was just unbelievable. Vegso s runners had been knocking at the door in the Sunshine Millions for some time. In 2006, homebred Silver Tree lost the Sunshine Millions Cloverleaf Farms Turf by three-quarters of a length to Miesque s Approval. In 2007, Go Between finished third in the same race (sponsored by San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino). But good things come to those who wait. It s a great feeling when your boys win, said Vegso. And to have two win almost at once like that? It was amazing. I guess winning the Kentucky Derby or Triple Crown would beat that, but for me it was the best day yet. In the Classic, Go Between ran down recognizable contenders such as defending Sunshine Millions Classic winner McCann s Mojave, millionaire Buzzards Bay, accomplished sprinter Bilo, and Super Derby (gr. II) winner Going Ballistic. His was one of seven impressive performances from Florida-bred runners in the Sunshine Millions, which was held simultaneously at the Magna Entertainmentowned Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla., and Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. Dominating the faceoff against their California-bred counterparts, Florida horses wrapped up a sixth consecutive title and continued their sole ownership of the competition launched by Magna founder and chairman Frank Stronach in 2003, Homebreds abound in the Sunshine Millions, and include War Monger, top, and Quite a Bride, above along with the Thoroughbred Owners of California, the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, and the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association. The 2008 Sunshine Millions attracted 55 Florida-breds and 27 California-breds. The lone California-bred winner, Bob Black Jack, saved his state from getting shut out with a victory in the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Dash. Other Florida-bred winners were Ginger Punch ($500,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff), Quite a Bride ($500,000 San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf), Dearest Trickski ($300,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint), Benny the Bull ($300,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint), and American County ($250,000 Sunshine Millions Oaks). Strong and lesser-known stallions were equally represented in the competition. Awesome Again, War Chant, Point Given, and Stormy Atlantic each sired a winner (Ginger Punch, War Monger, Go Between, and Quite a Bride, respectively), while Gibson County, Lucky Lionel, and Proudest Romeo also gained exposure with American County, Benny the Bull, and Dearest Trickski. Vegso s runners weren t the only homebreds on the scene. Quite a Bride ran for Julio Bozano s Haras Santa Maria de Araras and Frank Stronach s Adena Springs was represented by Ginger Punch. Drs. K.K. and V. Devi Jayaraman s Tiffany Farm-bred Dearest Trickski was sent out for Tom Mankiewicz. Only American County, owned by Mike Tarp and bred by North Star Equine, and Benny the Bull, bred by William Shively s Tomoka Hills Farms and owned by a syndicate of IEAH Stables, Greg James, A.I. Cohen, and Pegasus Holding Group Stables, were runners that had been through the sales ring. American County was a $65,000 purchase from the 2007 Ocala Breeders Sales Co. s February sale of 2-year-olds in training, while Benny the Bull was a $38,000 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase in Each winner significantly boosted the produce record of the dam it represented. War Monger, out of the Half a Year mare Carnival Delight, is his dam s first stakes winner from four starters. American County, from the Pentelicus mare Young American, is her dam s first stakes winner from five starters. Go Between, out of the Caerleon mare Mediation, is his dam s first stakes winner from six starters ADAM COGLIANESE BENOIT & ASSOCIATES and the first to amass significant earnings more than $1.8 million. Quite a Bride, daughter of the Blushing Groom mare Wise Bride, is her dam s second stakes winner from seven starters. Ginger Punch, out of the Bold Revenue mare Nappelon, is her dam s only Eclipse Award winner and the mare s only starter from five to pass the $100,000 mark in earnings with more than $2.1 million amassed thus far. Benny the Bull is the first foal and only starter from his dam, the Birdonthewire mare Comet Cat who has a 2-year-old colt by Broken Vow. Dearest Trickski, from the Peteski mare Trickski, holds the same distinction, while her dam has a 2-year-old filly by Snow Ridge and a yearling colt by Freefourinternet. In spite of concerns over the quality of the Santa Anita surface, where drainage issues forced the cancellation of the Jan cards, the Cushion Track was successfully renovated, albeit slightly fast, Jan. 26. The weather in Florida and California was fittingly bright and dry, and coverage of the major races was once again provided by ESPN2 s one-hour telecast, with a prior one-hour telecast on ESPNEWS. HRTV, owned by Stronach and partner Churchill Downs, also covered the races as part of regularly scheduled programming. By Claire Novak 864 THE BLOOD-HORSE FEBRUARY 9, 2008

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