Siblings to Derby, Preakness winners in same barn
ST is still on the Triple Crown Trail, following Fair Hill-based Animal Kingdom through Saturday's Belmont Stakes. He's at Belmont now, and we check in on his brother and Shackleford's brother (both in training with Graham Motion at Fair Hill).
Tuesday, June 7
Maybe it was just humans making more out of two horses standing next to each other – even briefly – but when the A.P. Indy colt walked into Stall 2 in the Team Valor barn at Fair Hill Training Center, the air pulsed.
The big, powerhouse 2-year-old entered the stall, exercise rider Robbie Walsh hopped off and removed saddle, pads, yoke and bridle. Next door, in Stall 1 stood a chestnut 2-year-old by Mr. Greeley – smaller, racier, flashier – casually munching hay and watching the action in the shedrow.
They’re both trained at Fair Hill by Graham Motion and his team, yes, but these foals of 2009 have another connection.
The A.P. Indy is Shackleford’s half-brother. The Mr. Greeley is Animal Kingdom’s half-brother. That’s right, the Preakness winner’s brother and the Kentucky Derby winner’s brother are in the same barn.
And at 9:38 Tuesday morning, they stood right next to each other. They probably won’t be stall neighbors, and had been in different barns until Tuesday, but . . .
Both make people look, for different reasons.
Even without a catalogue page, Animal Kingdom’s brother, Thursby, would stop buyers at a sale. He looks fast, not as powerful yet as his older sibling but getting there. Like his brother, he’s chestnut with plenty of white for flash – including a good sized star between his eyes and a long stripe down his nose. His stall affords him a view of the parking lot, shedrow, tack room and pretty much any visitor to the barn. Bred and owned by Team Valor, he spent Preakness week staring down photographers, fans, Eagles coach Andy Reid, everybody and anybody. He’s getting a short break with some shin issues (predictable for 2-year-olds), but will get back to work soon.
“He’d be a pretty flashy type if he was in a sale somewhere,” said Motion. "He's a slightly more refined version of his brother. Animal Kingdom is tough looking and more of a throwback."
 Shackleford’s brother, as yet unnamed, might be the biggest 2-year-old on the grounds. He sports his brother’s wide blaze, but is a dark bay rather than a chestnut. Owner My Meadowview Farm bought his dam, Oatsee, for $1,550,000 at Keeneland November 2008. She was carrying this colt, then a half-brother Grade I winner Lady Joanne and Grade III winner Baghdaria. Add the Preakness winner to the page now.
Big but balanced, Shackleford’s brother galloped with colts by Tiznow and Ghostzapper and went to the starting gate Tuesday. Of the three in Tuesday’s set, he’s the biggest – especially from behind. His hind end shouts power. Walsh likes what he feels, even if the horse is a long way from a race.
“He’s a champ,” said the rider, a steeplechase jockey. “He can get a bit fresh, but he’s well-broken. He’s a dream to ride. I haven’t sat on that many 2-year-olds, but he gives you a great feel. He’ll turn out to be a Grade I winner on turf now that I’m saying this, but he’s pure dirt, pure dirt – shuffly walk, great gallop.”
Motion has obviously been closer to Animal Kingdom, but compared the 2-year-old to Shackleford.
"He has a lot of A.P. Indy in him, he's a very handsome if somewhat immature 2-year-old," said the trainer. "There's a lot to like with him too. It's pretty cool, I don't think I've had a brother to a Derby or Preakness winner in my barn, let alone two of them at the same time as the Derby winner."
The wheels started moving on Shackleford's brother long before the 2011 Triple Crown discussions did. My Meadowview has several horses with Motion and this colt is one of four 2-year-olds in the current group that also includes recent Pimlico winner Marion Ravenwood.
"The plans were made long before any of this happened with Animal Kingdom and Shackleford," said Lincoln Collins, the farm bloodstock advisor. "I guess they'll have to keep them separated around the barn. We wouldn't want a fight to break out."
Collins bought Oatsee for My Meadowview (the Reggio family) back in 2008. She's only grown in status since.
"With Baghdaria and Lady Joanne she was a trophy mare even before Shackleford came along," he said. "The Reggio family's goal is to race classic horses so it was very encouraging when her foal won the Preakness."
Oatsee did not have a foal this year, but has a yearling by Johannesburg and is in foal to Indian Charlie.
Motion has 20 (and change) 2-year-olds at Fair Hill. Fillies, colts, big, small, advanced, remedial, they come in every shape, size, breeding, description. Unlike many trainers, he doesn’t have to scour the sales for prospects. The rookies come to him.
“We’re lucky to train for so many breeders; they send us 2-year-olds,” he said. “It’s a good feeling this time of year and you almost have to have them coming in every year to really be a success. You get 20 to 30 a year, you have to get some runners don’t you? I don’t have to go buy them for people, spend time at the sales, try to figure it all out. This time of year, it’s fun to see them develop, try to figure out which ones are developing ahead of the others, match them up, see them progress together.”
Of the two, Thursby would likely make his racing debut before Shackleford's brother, but neither will be in a real big hurry. Their brothers didn't debut until September (Animal Kingdom) and October (Shackleford).
PHOTOS: Top: Animal Kingdom's half-brother Thursby checks out the action from his corner stall. Bottom: Shackleford's brother walks the shed with Emmett Jolley.
Animal Kingdom Update
The Derby winner jogged twice around the pony track at Belmont today and seems to have bounced out of his bullet half-mile workout in fine shape. He will gallop tomorrow.
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