Updates were forthcoming for two of our value purchases on Sunday as Drop The Hammer and Garden Of War scored within hours of each other at Ellis Park and Woodbine.
Between them, their dams cost $16,000.
Drop The Hammer broke through the $100,000 in earnings when scoring a front-running victory in an allowance race for Resolute Racing and Mike Maker. Their dam, Secret Quality (pictured), was bought for a bargain $7,000 by Chad Schumer and KGS at the 2024 Keeneland November Sale despite being in foal to leading first-crop sire Complexity. Since then, the daughter of Elusive Quality has been represented by Dubai Carnival winner Valdivia as well as Drop The Hammer, now the winner of two races.
Sultan Ali’s Valdivia (Demarchelier) and Drop The Hammer (Gun Runner) are only the second and third foals out of Secret Quality, a relation to G3 winner Ask Me No Secrets.
Secret Quality now boasts three winners from as many foals. She also has a yearling filly by Jack Christopher.
Meanwhile, Garden Of War made it back-to-back wins for Gary Barber and Mark Casse when successful in an allowance at Woodbine.
Also stakes-placed in last year’s Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes at Gulfstream Park behind subsequent Windsor Castle Stakes runner-up Gabaldon, Garden Of War (War Of Will) is out of $9,000 purchase Sky Garden.
The daughter of Acclamation, who is out of champion Superstar Leo, was shipped to Ireland following her purchase and returned an almost immediate reward for connections when her Kodi Bear colt foal sold for €70,000 at the Goffs November Sale.
Sky Garden also has a 2yo filly by Catholic Boy with leading trainer Andrew Balding.
