Wedding Toast a Family Affair

Rising to the top of the division and assuming the role of favorite for the Oct. 30 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) in their absence is Wedding Toast, who has cobbled together a three-race winning streak of impressive proportions. In a year where most of the top contenders have taken turns beating each other up, Wedding Toast established herself with victories in the May 9 Ruffian (gr. II), the June 6 Ogden Phipps (gr. I), and the Sept. 26 Beldame Invitational (gr. I), by margins of four, five, and 2 3/4 lengths, respectively.

 

 

Coming off consecutive losses earlier this season, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said the key to success was unlocked when Wedding Toast was sent out at longer distances. 

 

"We started her out sprinting this year and that's not what she really wanted to do," said McLaughlin of the seven-furlong Madison (gr. I) and one-turn-mile Rampart (gr. III). "Once we stretched her out she's been awesome and unbeatable, and hopefully she can continue to be. But it's been the distance more than anything."

 

Bred in Kentucky by Darley and running for that outfit's Godolphin Racing, Wedding Toast has more than recent form in her corner. Her female family has been outstanding for decades and has passed through the hands of several top organizations along the way. Her second dam, Mari's Sheba, was bred by Elmendorf Farm when it was owned by Jack Kent Cooke. When Robert and Janice McNair were building their Stonerside operation, their agent, John Adger, negotiated one of the great deals in recent history, buying about three dozen head of Cooke's broodmare band along with a couple dozen of its younger horses.

 

 

Stonerside consequently bred and raced Mari's Sheba's Arazi colt Congaree  , a hickory multiple grade I winner and earner of better than $3.2 million; and her Awesome Again colt Sangaree  , a stakes winner.  

 

"It's a great Elmendorf family that keeps doing good," said Bobby Spalding, the respected farm manager at Elmendorf, Stonerside, and now Darley at Stonerside. "Mari's Sheba was a very fast racehorse who ran third behind Serena's Song in the Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I). She broke her leg in that race and we brought her home and eventually Bill Mott put her on the grass and won a stakes with her. She is a big, gorgeous mare.

 

"She was one of four key mares that were in the package when we bought the 35 Elmendorf mares and 26 foals. Her fillies are now producing well also. It turned out to be quite an acquisition for Stonerside, and the Darley group is happy they purchased the package of mares from Stonerside."

 

 

When the McNairs decided to sell Stonerside to concentrate on ownership of the Houston Texans of the National Football League, Darley bought the farm and bloodstock about six years ago. That paid dividends immediately when Midshipman   won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) weeks after the sale. He is out of Fleet Lady, one of the broodmares in the transaction, who is also the dam of Fast Cookie, the dam of Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) winner Frosted, who competes in the Classic this weekend. Unfortunately, Mari's Sheba is now in failing health and Spalding will soon have a difficult decision to make.

 

"She is such a kind mare and has a special place in my heart," said Spalding. "Congaree was the same way—you could put a saddle on him today and ride him down Main Street. They are horses that can take the pressure; they have a calmness and great minds. But it's all business at the racetrack."

 

And at the racetrack is where 5-year-old Wedding Toast can make history Oct. 30. McLaughlin, watching her jog earlier in the week at Keeneland, said she's never been better, and expects her to be either on or near the lead in the Distaff. Win, lose, or draw, the Distaff will be the final race before Wedding Toast is retired to continue her family's fabulous breeding history.