Hill 'n' Dale Acquires Half Interest in Bubbler

John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Farm purchased a 50% interest from Clearsky Farms in Bubbler, dam of 2016 Longines World's Best Racehorse Arrogate, it was announced June 26. Bubbler is confirmed in foal to Gainesway's three-time leading sire Tapit  .  

"Hill 'n' Dale has established itself as among the very best in all areas of the Thoroughbred business so we are very pleased to be involved in a partnership with them on Bubbler," Clearsky said in a release. "We are very excited about Bubbler's future, with her second, third, and fourth foals yet to race, and hopefully we can both share some success with her."

Sikura added in the release: "We are grateful and excited to become co-owner with Clearsky Farms of Bubbler. As the dam of Arrogate, the world's highest-rated racehorse, and in foal to classic sire Tapit, we feel Bubbler is a remarkable opportunity to enhance our brand. Our goal is to continue to assemble a world-class broodmare band and associate with leading breeders like Clearsky Farms."

While no purchase price was disclosed, Bubbler was offered at last fall's Fasig-Tipton November sale where she was bought back by Clearsky for $4.7 million.

Bubbler is an 11-year-old daughter of Distorted Humor  , out of the graded stakes-placed and multiple stakes-producing Grechelle, a daughter of Deputy Minister and the Eclipse champion 2-year-old filly Meadow Star. Bubbler showed talent as a runner, capturing six of nine starts at 3 and 4 for earnings of $211,622.

Successful in stakes events on both dirt and turf, Bubbler claimed four victories in black-type events, including the Sam Houston Distaff Stakes, which she took by 12 1/4 lengths. Third in the Ouija Board Distaff Handicap (G3T) in her final start, Bubbler was purchased by Clearsky for $170,000 as a broodmare prospect from the Taylor Made Sale Agency consignment at the 2010 Fasig-Tipton November sale.

Champion 3-year-old male of 2016, Arrogate, a son of Unbridled's Song, is Bubbler's first foal. She also has produced a 2-year-old filly by Medaglia d'Oro   and has a yearling filly by Giant's Causeway  , and a filly foal by Into Mischief  .

Offered by Clearsky at the 2014 Keeneland September sale, Arrogate was purchased for $560,000 by Juddmonte Farms. Unraced at 2, Arrogate finished third in a maiden at Los Alamitos, in his debut in April of 2016. He went on a seven-race tear that included a remarkable performance in the Travers Stakes (G1), which he won by 13 1/2 lengths and set a Saratoga Race Course track record for 10 furlongs. He closed out the year by defeating California Chrome   in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

Arrogate is two-for-two so far this year. He started the season by winning the inaugural $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) by 4 3/4 lengths and lowered the nine-furlong track record at Gulfstream Park.

Arrogate's most recent triumph came with a last-to-first victory over Gun Runner in the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1). With $17,084,600 in purses to date, Arrogate is the all-time leading Thoroughbred in North America by earnings, and he retained his top ranking on the latest edition of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings released June 4.

Arrogate is expected to make his next start in the TVG San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar July 22.