VINEYARD HAVEN Sold to Godolphin
NOVEMBER 2, 2008
VINEYARD HAVEN, winner of the grade I Champagne and Hopeful Stakes, has been sold to Godolphin for an undisclosed price by Bobby Frankel, who was majority owner of the colt, in partnership with Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre and Louis Lazzinnaro.
>>Read Full Article Here
COLLEGE GIRL Wins Twice At Saratoga
AUGUST 2006
COLLAGE GIRL, a private purchase from agent Cory Moran for trainer Gary Contessa and the Winning Move Stable of Steve Sigler, won twice at the recently concluded Saratoga meet. She won on July 31 and won again two weeks later on August 13, before being claimed in the latter race. Both of COLLEGE GIRL‘s wins came in races in which the purse was $38,000.
It should be noted that Cory’s client, Steve Sigler of Winning Move Stable, is the father of the talented and beautiful Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who is most famous for her role as Meadow Soprano on the acclaimed television series The Sopranos.
THE SUMMER HEATS UP FOR CORY’S PRIVATE SALES!
Horse Wins at Belmont Park
JULY 9, 2006
SUAVE JAZZ, another horse privately sold out of South Florida by agent Cory Moran, won at Belmont Park today. The purse was $44,000.
ALKY’S BOY Wins at Monmouth Park
JUNE 9, 2006
ALKY’S BOY, a private purchase from agent Cory Moran, won today at Monmouth Park for owner Donald Carroll and trainer Tim Hills. The purse value of the race was $38,160.
LADY KAMALA Wins Today’s Second Race
JUNE 7, 2006
LADY KAMALA, a private purchase from agent Cory Moran, won today’s second race at Hollywood Park by 7 1/4 lengths for trainer Jeff Mullins.
COOL CASSANOVA Wins At Delaware Park
JUNE, 2006
COOL CASSANOVA won (romped!) in an $38,000 allowance turf race today at Delaware Park. COOL CASSANOVA did it fresh off the purchase from agent Cory Moran. The new owners are Benny Salerno and Phillip DiCosmo. The winning trainer is Anthony Pecoraro. COOL CASSANOVA is a three year old colt by KISSIN KRIS out of QUEEN O’ THE IGLOO.
SCREEN WRITER Wins At Prairie Meadows
MAY 25, 2006
SCREEN WRITER won a $24,000 MSW race at a mile and seventy yards today at Prairie Meadows for owner W.E. Hartman and trainer Joe Casey. SCREEN WRITER was purchased privately this year from agent Cory Moran.
HERBALIS Wins At Hollywood Park
APRIL 28, 2006
HERBALIS won today’s first race at Hollywood Park (purse $27,000) for owner Bob Bone and trainer Jeff Mullins. HERBALIS was purchased from agent Cory Moran.
UNTUTTABLE GAL Wins At Aqueduct
UNTUTTABLE GAL won today’s second race at Aqueduct (purse $40,000) at a mile on the turf. UNTUTTABLE GAL was recently purchased from agent Cory Moran for the Winning Move Stable (Steve Sigler) and trainer Gary Contessa. UNTUTTABLE GAL is by UNTUTTABLE out of WHOARETHOSEGUYS by DEPUTED TESTAMONY. The three year old filly was ridden by jockey Kent Desormeaux.
BUZZARD’S BAY Won Last Years Santa Anita Derby
SPRING 2006
In addition to being a serious contender for the $500,000 Pimlico Special on May 19th, BUZZARD’S BAY also has the Breeder’s Cup Classic as a legitimate long term goal. Originally sold out of South Florida by Cory Moran (for a modest price), BUZZARD’S BAY won last years $750,000 Grade One Santa Anita Derby and the Golden Gate Derby for Fog City Stables and trainer Jeff Mullins. Fog City Stables then re-sold BUZZARD’S BAY at auction at Keeneland for $725,000 in order to dissolve a partnership. BUZZARD’S BAY is currently conditioned by trainer Ron Ellis.
In winning last Saturday’s $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap, BUZZARD’S BAY ran a career best Beyer Speed Figure of 110. This was BUZZARD’S BAY‘s second straight stakes win. Previously, he won the Gr. III $150,000 All American Handicap on Feb. 20, 2006 at Golden Gate, earning a 108 Beyer speed figure.
ARTAX DANCER Wins At Will Rogers Downs
APRIL 8, 2006
ARTAX DANCER won a $17,000 allowance race today at Will Rogers Downs for owner Elizabeth Hartman and trainer Joe Casey. ARTAX DANCER is by ARTAX out of NADA BID, by SPECTACULAR BID. ARTAX DANCER was sold by agent Cory Moran this year during the current Gulfstream meet.
Big Win for SWEET FORTY
APRIL 1, 2006
SWEET FORTY, a private purchase from agent Cory Moran, won today’s $250,000 WinStar Oaks at Sunland Park! The stake was for 3 year old fillies at a mile and one sixteenth. SWEET FORTY is by SWEETSOUTHERNSAINT out of MAJESTIC FOURTY. Her owner is Michael House and her trainer is Jeff Mullins. Before this race, SWEET FORTY finished a fast closing 2nd to BALANCE, America’s top ranking 3 year old filly, in the $100,000 Storm Cat Stakes at Hollywood Park.
Cory’s Sale to New Client Wins
MARCH 31, 2006
In his first start for new connections, ENTER ANON won a starter allowance today in the 5th race at Santa Anita at a mile and a sixteenth. The new trainer was Joshua Litt and the new owner was Charles Gold. Good luck guys!
Another Private Purchase Winner for Mullins
MARCH 22, 2006
LADY KAMALA, a private purchase from Cory by trainer Jeff Mullins, won a starter allowance race at Santa Anita today for owners Jeff Addington and the CFM Racing Stable. Before today’s win, LADY KAMALA finished a much-troubled 2nd in her sophomore bow at Santa Anita on February 25.
CLOSING BELL Wins At Aqueduct
FEBRUARY 16, 2006
CLOSING BELL wins again today at Aqueduct in a $65,000 claiming race for trainer Gary Contessa and jockey Ramon Dominguez. The purse was $41,000! It was the second consecutive win right off the purchase from Cory.
In the same race, SUAVE JAZZ, also a new purchase from Cory, finished a fast closing third for new trainer Gary Sciacca and new owner Fertile Acres Farm.
CLOSING BELL Wins Right Off Purchase
JANUARY 21, 2006
Cory’s horses started the new year impressively! His recently-sold 3 year old colt, CLOSING BELL, won right off the purchase for trainer Gary Contessa and jockey Ramon Dominguez in Aqueduct’s 4th race, a 50k maiden claimer. The racing chart comments read: “drew away and was wrapped up late, winning with something left!”
SWEET FORTY Ran Huge Second
NOVEMBER 27, 2005
SWEET FORTY, a two year old filly recently purchased from Cory Moran, ran a huge second to the undefeated BALANCE in todays $100,000 SHARP CAT STAKES at Hollywood Park. Trained by Jeff Mullins and owned by Michael House, SWEET FORTY is by Sweetsouthernsaint, Majestic Fourty.
EASTERN SAND Wins At Golden Gate
NOVEMBER 5, 2005
EASTERN SAND won the Gr. III Silky Sullivan at Golden Gate today for trainer Jeff Mullins. Prior to this, he finished 2nd (beaten a nose) at Santa Anita in the Gr. III Oak Tree Derby on October 15th! Not bad for a modestly-priced purchase!
BROOKE’S HALO Wins Another Stake!
SEPTEMBER 25, 2005
BROOKE’S HALO, purchased from Cory Moran by trainer Jeff Mullins and owner Michael House, wins another stake!
BROOKE’S HALO took command at the start of the 1 1/16-mile $98,000 Las Madrinas Handicap for Fillies and Mares at Fairplex Park and rolled gate to wire for her fourth win from nine starts. BROOKE’S HALO was the only 3 yr. old in the race. Trained by Jeff Mullins, owned by Michael House and ridden by Martin Pedroza, BROOKE’S HALO paid $4.40 to win.
SUPER FROLIC Wins the Grade II
SEPTEMBER 24, 2005
SUPER FROLIC, sold by Cory Moran earlier this year, won the Grade II $750,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup.
EASTERN SAND Wins Del Mar
AUGUST 7, 2005
EASTERN SAND, purchased from Cory Moran by trainer Jeff Mullins, won the first race at Del Mar today, a $65,000 money allowance event at one mile on the turf. He was 4-5.
SUPER FROLIC Wins Delaware Park
JUNE 26, 2005
SUPER FROLIC, recently sold by Cory to owner Robert Cole, won a $49,000 allowance race at Delaware Park today. Previously, SUPER FROLIC made his mark at Calder Race Course in Florida. Now it looks like he’s ready for some more wins up in the northeast area!
BROOKE’S HALO Wins Grade II
MAY 12, 2005
BROOKE’S HALO, purchased from Cory Moran by trainer Jeff Mullins and owner Michael House, won the Grade II, $175,500 Hollywood Breeders’ Cup Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at Hollywood Park today. Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Brooke’s Halo set quick early fractions of 22 3-5 and 45 3-5, but held off late charges from Cee’s Irish and Memorette, covering 1 1-16 miles in 1:42 4-5.
Owner’s quotes: “We saw the horse down in Florida – Jeff Mullins did – and we liked her,” Michael House said. “We checked her out and we purchased her. Then in her two stakes races, in both places it rained all day the day before, here in the Sunshine Millions and in Kentucky in (the Beaumont). She needs her track and today she got it.”
Jockey’s Quotes: “This is an unbelievable filly,” Victor Espinoza said. “She can go either way. Dirt, grass, long, short, it doesn’t matter. She’s all class, this filly. She runs hard. Even the fractions were pretty quick today, but she still finished strong.”
BUZZARD’S BAY Wins the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby
MAY 5, 2005
In a heart-pounding stunner, 30-1 long shot BUZZARD’S BAY (orange and black silks above) upset heavily favored filly Sweet Catomine in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, handing trainer Jeff Mullins an unprecedented third straight victory in the last major West Coast prep race before the May 7 Kentucky Derby.
With all eyes focused on Sweet Catomine’s bold move to take on the boys for the first time after manhandling fillies in five straight victories, it was a very quiet week around the Fog City Stables barn. But the lack of attention didn’t bother Florida-bred BUZZARD’S BAY, who muscled his way out of the cramped field of 11 but hung on to take the 1 1/8-mile race by half a length in 1 minute 49.18 seconds.
“It was a rush, man, because I knew they were coming at me from both sides, and he’s a fighter,” said Mark Guidry, who negotiated BUZZARD’S BAY through the largest field to run the Santa Anita Derby since 1981.
BUZZARD’S BAY Finishes Fifth In the Kentucky Derby
MAY 7, 2055
On Saturday, May 7, 2005, BUZZARD’S BAY ran a terrific fifth in the Kentucky Derby. Breaking from post position # 20 (!), BUZZARD’S BAY had an extremely wide trip throughout the race, which included a strong, sustained 7-wide move around the final turn to loom boldly just off the leaders at the top of the stretch.
FLORIDA KEYS – Another Cory Sale On A Roll!
On the Kentucky Derby undercard, FLORIDA KEYS, finished second in a tough $57,000 allowance race on the turf. Since Cory sold the colt in late 2004 for “a very modest price” to BUZZARD’S BAY‘s trainer, Jeff Mullins, FLORIDA KEYS has won three races from five starts, and has a second place finish. Since the sale by Cory six month ago, the Stormy Atlantic colt has earned close to $100,000!
Five In A Row for UNFORGETTABLE GAL After Cory Sold Her!
UNFORGETTABLE GAL recently won for the fifth straight time since being purchased from Cory for only $13,000. Her winning streak began at Gulfstream Park on January 15 when she won for $18,000. Then on February 6 at Gulfstream, she won for $25,000. On March 4, she ran at Gulfstream at the $32,000 level and won again. On March 24, she ran in allowance company at Gulfstream, and won that one. And then on May 3 she won her fifth consecutive race, at Delaware Park in another allowance race! WOW! Not bad for $13,000!
Horses from Cory Continue to Earn!
MARCH 2005
UNFORGETTABLE GAL, a horse Cory sold to owner John Gross, won the 8th race at Gulfstream Park on March 4th. It was her THIRD WIN IN A ROW since the purchase! And all three wins have come at the current, tough Gulfstream meet!
EASTERN SAND, a horse Cory recently sold to trainer Jeff Mullins ran second in the $75,000 Pasadena Stakes at Santa Anita on March 19!
Horses from Cory Continue to Win Big!
JANUARY 2005
BUZZARD’S BAY won the $100,000 Golden Gate Derby on January 15th!
FLORIDA KEYS won a $44,000 purse at Santa Anita on January 23!
From Golden Gate Fields Press Releases:
BUZZARDS BAY edges SHARP WRITER in $100,000 Golden Gate Derby.
The $100,000 Golden Gate Derby at Golden Gate Fields may have lacked numbers Saturday but it certainly didn’t come up short in excitement.
Due to scratches, only a trio of 3-year-olds competed in Northern California’s first major race for 2005 Kentucky Derby hopefuls. Two of those runners, Buzzards Bay and Sharp Writer, made sure the race would be remembered for a thrilling finish rather than a short field.
Buzzards Bay, ridden by Mark Guidry, and Sharp Writer, with Frank Alvarado aboard, hooked up in midstretch and slugged it out to the wire. Buzzards Bay proved best by a nostril, taking the 1 1/16 mile contest in 1:43.69 on a track rated good.
Buzzards Bay is owned by Fog City Stable, the Bay Area racing partnership of Woodside’s David Shimmon and Los Gatos’ William Bianco. The victory – Buzzards Bay’s first stakes triumph and his second win in five career starts – was worth $55,000.
Guidry, a 45-year-old native of Duson, La., recently moved his tack from Kentucky to Southern California. Guidry made his first visit to Golden Gate Fields Saturday to ride Buzzards Bay for Santa Anita-based trainer Jeff Mullins.
“He broke sharp and broke running,” said Guidry, who did a good job of rating Buzzards Bay on the lead. “I thought the four horse (favored Dover Dere) would be the speed and I didn’t want him to get too comfortable out there. This race was like a match race. When you’ve ridden those, you know you can’t let a horse get out there by themselves.”
Buzzards Bay set the pace under pressure from Dover Dere, the 3-5 favorite who was coming off a front-running victory in the Gold Rush Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on Dec. 18. Buzzards Bay shook clear of Dover Dere approaching the stretch but then had to deal with Sharp Writer, who was closing strongly under jockey Frank Alvarado.
“Every time the [Dover Dere] came to him, he got back underneath me,” said Guidry. “When [Sharp Writer] collared him, he dug in. He ran very hard and very game. I got into him pretty good and he responded. Basically, he ran a very good race. Mr. Mullins did a great job with him. I thank him and the owners for letting me ride this horse.”
Buzzards Bay paid $5.00 as the second choice in the betting.
Another Winner Sold by Cory – MY LAST CHANCE rallies at Santa Anita!
OCTOBER 2004
Cory recently sold a four year old colt named MY LAST CHANCE to owner Robert Bone and trainer Jeff Mullins. On October 21, 2004 at Santa Anita with jockey Gary Stevens aboard, MY LAST CHANCE rallied to win a $41,000 allowance race.
New Connections Immediate Dividends
SEPTEMBER 11, 2004
Cory sold VERKADE to trainer Jeff Mullins recently and the horse has earned his new connections immediate dividends. See story below.
From Fairplex Park press release:
VERKADE went gate-to-wire for a dominating victory in Sunday’s $58,800 Phil D. Shepherd Stakes at Fairplex Park.
There was never a doubt as the favored VERKADE, trained by Jeff Mullins and ridden by Martin Pedroza, darted from the first post to the front of the field of ten but still had plenty left for the homestretch as he finished three lengths in front of Anziyan Royalty, covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.48.
“I had the one hole and he’s got speed so I just got him out of there and saw where I was and I was on the lead, said Pedroza,” who followed a four-win Friday with two wins on Saturday.
The winner carried 119 and paid $5.40, $2.80 and $2.20. Anziyan Royalty, ridden by David Nuesch at 119, paid $2.60 and $2.20. Sigfreto, ridden by Omar Figueroa at 117, was third and returned $2.60.
It was VERKADE‘s third race and first win since Mullins took over as his trainer in July. Mullins may try him in the $100,000 Ralph M. Hinds Pomona Handicap on Sept. 26 at Fairplex. The 1 1/8 mile Hinds would be the longest distance VERKADE has tried. “Here on this racetrack I think he’ll run all day.”
VERKADE earned $33,000 for the victory, his fourth in 16 lifetime starts. His career bankroll stands at $107,210.
Horses from Cory Are on Fire!
AUGUST 2004
Purchases from Cory have been winning races from coast to coast! Tracks include SA, Dmr, Sar, Aqu, Bel, AP, Haw, Mth, GP, Crc, Tam, Mnr, Tdn, Suf, Del, and WO.
* Jeff Mullins, one of America’s winningest trainers (leading trainer in Southern California 2003-2004) bought four horses from Cory this summer from Florida.
Recent highlights:
1) SWEET WIN
Purchased for a modest amount, SWEET WIN paid immediate dividends for Mullins when she won her first start for him in the Gr. 2 San Clemente Handicap at Del Mar on July 31, 2004. She beat Bobby Frankel’s multiple stakes winning MISS VEGAS, Bob Baffert’s multiple stake winning VICTORY U.S.A., and Neil Drysdale’s multiple stake winning BONAIR! Awesome! Sweet win indeed! In her next start, the Gr. 1 Del Mar Oaks on August 21, 2004, SWEET WIN finished a close third.
2) EXCLUSIVE DEPOSIT
Won a wide open $50,000 turf race at Del Mar on August 2nd, 2004.
3) VERKADE
In his first start for Mullins, VERKADE ran second in a tough $70,000 money allowance race on August 5, 2004 at Del Mar. Sent hard from the gate by jockey Cory Nakatani, VERKADE dueled through brutal fractions of :22, :45, 1:09:62, and lost by just a length. It was a big, auspicious effort that encouraged Mullins to ship him to Emerald Downs to run in the Gr. 3 $250,00 Longacres Mile on August 22, 2004.
4) POWER BY JULES
Yet to run. Stay Tuned!
A Sweet Win in the San Clemente
AUGUST 2004
By Jeff Nahill – Staff Writer, North County Times
DEL MAR – In this day and age, it has become increasingly tough for Southern California trainers to find good horses. Many trainers are starting to look to other racing venues to purchase horses privately and bring them west. The plan worked to perfection for trainer Jeff Mullins on Saturday as the Del Mar Racetrack.
On a recent spending spree in Florida, Mullins bought Sweet Win on behalf of owner Gayle Fogelson. The buy looks like a steal now.
Sweet Win swept past runaway leader Miss Vegas deep in the stretch and held off Victory U.S.A. to win the Grade II San Clemente Handicap for 3-year-old fillies at one mile on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.
Sweet Win earned $90,000 for the victory and returned $18.60 to her backers. She beat a Grade III winner in Miss Vegas and a Grade II winner in Victory U.S.A., which will increase her value as a broodmare.
The loss by Miss Vegas, the 2-5 favorite, was particularly bitter for trainer Bobby Frankel, who also was beaten in the Grade I Diana Handicap at Saratoga Springs, N.Y., with Intercontinental.
Mullins said he was checking horses at Calder Race Course when he came across Sweet Win, a daughter of King of Kings.
“She was just standing there in the stall, and they said she was for sale,” Mullins said. “I pulled the tapes and looked at the PPs (past performances). The price was right.”
Sweet Win and jockey Victor Espinoza watched Miss Vegas jump out to the lead, running through fractions of 23.54 seconds, 46.50, and 1:10.12. But she never looked comfortable on the lead.
On the turn for home, Sweet Win and Victory U.S.A. made their moves as Espinoza jumped inside and Corey Nakatani stayed outside on Victory U.S.A. Sweet Win prevailed by a head in 1:34.11 over Miss Vegas, with Victory U.S.A. a nose back.
“Oh, this is a very good filly,” Espinoza said. “When Jeff got her, he asked me to work her and tell him what I thought. After I did, I said, ‘You’ve got a hell of a filly here.’
“She really came running so fast at the end. I couldn’t believe it.”
David Flores said he had no excuses on the runner-up.
“She ran great,” Flores said. “She made all the pace and then hung on and kept trying. We just got beat.”
Likewise, Nakatani thought he did all he could on Victory U.S.A., who was trying the turf for the first time in her career.
“My main concern today was to get her to relax and finish,” Nakatani said, “and she did both of those. It was an excellent try for her. I had a good trip, but I just ran out of stretch. She just missed.”
Mullins believes Sweet Win will get better as the distances increase, which could mean trouble for those coming back in the 1 1/8 mile Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 21.
“We have to make plans for her now,” Mullins said. “Having been in Florida, I think she can handle anything. It’s a deep, cuppy surface at Calder and once you get them off that and get them on a firmer race track, they just do better. Then you get them out of that heat, and they don’t sweat all day long. (Del Mar) is cool for the horses.”
Mullins Switching Methods
From DRF – AUGUST 2004
Sweet Win, the winner of the San Clemente Handicap on July 31 and a leading candidate in Saturday’s $300,000 Del Mar Oaks, arrived at trainer Jeff Mullins’s stable in July as part of a four-horse private transaction from south Florida. It could be the start of a shift in the way Mullins acquires horses.
Frustrated by the unknown elements of claiming horses, Mullins said he would like to begin purchasing more horses privately, and is considering making his first trip to England later this year to attend a horses in training sale.
He said the opportunity for a pre-purchase inspection of a private sale outweighs the convenience of a claim.
“I’d rather buy horses privately,” he said. “I don’t want to get out of the claiming game. If you claim a horse, you’re stuck with them. I get more nervous dropping a claim than running in a Grade 1.”
Mullins’s top claim this year has been Choctaw Nation, who starts in Sunday’s Pacific Classic. Owned by Robert Bone, Choctaw Nation was claimed for $40,000 out of a maiden race for sprinters last February at Santa Anita, a race he won. Choctaw Nation is unbeaten in five starts, including the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap on Aug. 1.
Choctaw Nation’s previous trainer, Bruce Headley, has made it no secret that he was irked that Mullins claimed the first-time starter. Mullins acknowledged that claiming horses could sometimes anger people.
“When you claim a horse and it does well, people get mad,” he said. “I don’t get mad when people claim off of me because I put the horse in where I can lose them.
“I’ve been buying a lot more horses than claiming,” he said. “You know what you get.”
The package that included Sweet Win includes Verkade, who was second in his first California start on Aug. 1. A 4-year-old colt, Verkade is a candidate for Sunday’s Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs.
“I like buying race-ready horses,” Mullins said. “I don’t like developing them. It gives you gray hair.