Lukes Alley, Hello Broadway to Stand in Virgina

Grade 1 winner and second-year sire Lukes Alley  and grade 2-placed veteran sire Hello Broadway  will be relocated to Virginia for the 2023 breeding season, according to the stallions' co-owner Michael Ingrassia.

The stallions will stand at Wind N' Springs Farm nearly Berryville, Va., a nearly 120-acre farm with a six-furlong turf track. Their stud fees will be announced later in the year. Christine Reed is managing the farm.

"With Churchill acquiring Colonial Downs, I think things are going to boom in Virginia," said Ingrassia, who also stands Lord of Greatness  with Brian Thomas at Flowing Acres Farm near Charles Town, W. Va. "I'm confident these two stallions will stand tall in this state and serious money is going to start filtering through the breeders' program."

Churchill Downs Inc. announced in February it was acquiring Peninsula Pacific Entertainment, the parent company of Colonial Downs for $2.485 billion. CDI also acquired the rights to build The Rose, a $400 million gaming facility and hotel in Prince William County, which will have 175,000 square-feet of gaming space and eight restaurants. The Rose is expected to open in 2023. In addition to the facilities acquired, CDI also can develop up to five additional historical horse racing venues in Virginia with up to 2,300 machines.

Colonial Downs, near New Kent, was reopened after a six-year hiatus in 2019 due to the Virginia General Assembly authorizing electronic historical horse racing games in an expansion of pari-mutuel wagering. The track has a dirt and turf surface but has carved out a niche with high-level turf racing, including the New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3T) and Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks.

Lukes Alley, a 12-year-old son of Flower Alley , won the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1T) and was second in the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (G2T) in 2016. He also won two graded stakes at Woodbine at 4 for the late owner/breeder Eugene Melnyk.

While Lukes Alley's first foals arrived this year, the family has been active on the track and in the sales ring. His half sister African Waters (War Front  ) sold for $1.2 million at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale where Seahorse Stables bought her out of Gainesway's consignment. She has been working regularly at Belmont Park since May 23. Another half sister Easy to Love  (Empire Maker) won in her third start by 3 1/4 lengths July 9 at Horseshoe Indianapolis for owner/breeder Gainesway and trainer Bill Mott.  

Lukes Alley also is a half brother to Arrifana (Curlin  ), who won the Nellie Morse Stakes and was second in the Comely Stakes (G3). She was retired in 2020 and sold for $300,000 by Gainesway at Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale to agents Alex Solis II and Jason Litt. The mare produced a colt this year by leading sire Into Mischief for co-breeders LNJ Foxwoods and Gainesway.

Hello Broadway, a multiple graded-placed son of Broken Vow, has sired 23 winners, led by black-type winner My Sweet Dove , stakes-placed winner Harryhee , and U and Tequila , who set a couple of track records going 4 1/2 furlongs at Mahoning Valley Race Course.