New Mexico-Bred Filly is First Foal by Sporting Chance

The first reported foal by A & A Ranch's grade 1 winner Sporting Chance is a chestnut filly born Feb. 7 at the New Mexico farm, according to A & A Ranch owner Fred Alexander.

The foal is out of the Sir Cherokee stakes winner Cherry One, making the filly a half sister to last year's Mountain Top New Mexico Bred Thoroughbred Futurity runner-up One Mark, who is from the first crop of A & A Ranch's grade 1-placed stallion Marking. As a racehorse, Cherry One captured the 2009 El Paso Times Handicap at Sunland Park, and as a mare has produced one other winner from three foals to race.

Bred in Kentucky and raced by the late Robert Baker and William Mack, Sporting Chance won the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course at 2 and at 3 was third in the Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park. He ran in five other graded stakes that included a third in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland, in which he was disqualified and placed fourth for ducking out. Sporting Chance retired with a 2-1-1 record from nine starts and earned $409,790.

Sporting Chance, a 6-year-old son of Tiznow, bred a full book of 51 mares last year, his first year at stud. He stands at A & A Ranch for $5,000.