First Foal Out of Egg Drop Nears Debut

Thoroughbred breeders are far too familiar with the quest to reproduce greatness, and the frequent disappointment that occurs when elusive talents fail to transfer from one generation to the next—and the overwhelming satisfaction found when such talent passes down through the ages.

At Santa Anita Park Jan. 7, members of the Little Red Feather Racing partnership hope to feel the latter emotion when Scrambled, the first foal out of grade 1 winner Egg Drop, makes his debut.

Egg Drop ranks high on the roster of success stories for Little Red Feather, whose managing partner Billy Koch wept when she sold for $1.9 million to Bridlewood Farm at the 2014 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. When Bridlewood put the gray mare's first foal, a colt by Tapit , through Eddie Woods' consignment to the Ocala Breeders' Sales 2017 March sale of 2-year-olds in training, Koch was waiting in the wings to snatch him up for $200,000.

"We had seen him grow up, and we knew was going to be in the sale," Koch recalled. "We'd been talking to George Isaacs, who bought the mare for Bridlewood, but really the person who liked him most was (trainer) Phil D'Amato. He was kind of the driving force, he kept saying, 'You have to buy this horse.' We felt really fortunate to get him, and there are a lot of returning partners from the Egg Drop partnership, which makes it fun."

Although the colt was entered to race in the fall, "he got sick on us and missed a little time," Koch said.

Since returning to the work tab, Scrambled has turned in a steady pattern of eight drills, including a five-furlong outing Jan. 1 from the gate in 1:01 3/5, 18th of 34 at the distance on the day. A 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight over Santa Anita's downhill turf is his goal.

"Ever since he's come back, he's worked really well," Koch said. "We've thought all along he's going to be best on turf, because Egg Drop was really good on grass, and Tapit also produces runners that do well on grass. I think he will ultimately be best going long on the grass."

Whether Scrambled has inherited the talent that enabled his dam to win the 2013 Matriarch Stakes (G1T) remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure. The colt, out of a mare whose nickname around the barn was "the white witch," definitely has his mother's tough personality.

"He's very much like his mom," Koch said. "He's a rambunctious, tough little sucker. When he works, he pins his ears and tries hard like her. And around the stall, you'd better be careful. He's definitely a colt and he's definitely her son."