Read the Footnotes Relocated to New Mexico

Multiple graded stakes winner Read the Footnotes has been relocated to New Mexico, where he has become the first stallion owned by Bryan and Megan Petty's new endeavor named Creekside Farm.

The 17-year-old son of Smoke Glacken out of Baydon Belle (Al Nasr) previously stood for Mike Grossman at River Oaks Farm in Oklahoma. As Grossman has acquired younger stallions, Read the Footnotes began getting shuffled toward the back of the pack. Grossman felt the horse had the potential to continue thriving elsewhere.

Grossman owns Eureka Thoroughbreds near Austin, Texas, and his farm manager is Bill Tracy, who is Megan Petty's father. Once the Pettys got wind that Read the Footnotes would be available, the deal was done.

"This horse is a good fit for New Mexico," said Megan Petty, a practicing veterinarian. "You have the influence from Smoke Glacken, who was fast, and then Read the Footnotes had one of the fastest works ever at a Fasig-Tipton sale. He went on to prove that speed on the track."

Read the Footnotes won his first start by 9 1/4 lengths as a 2-year-old at Saratoga Race Course and went on to win the 2003 Remsen (G2) and Nashua (G3) stakes. In his 3-year-old debut, he outfought Second of June to win the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park. His 113 Beyer was the co-fourth best that year for a 3-year-old. Read the Footnotes next ran fourth in the Florida Derby (G1), then unplaced in the Kentucky Derby (G1) in what was his last race. He won five of eight starts and earned $450,660.

As a stallion, Read the Footnotes has sired 19 black-type winners to date, including grade 1 winner Rightly So, and been represented by an additional 11 black-type-placed performers. His progeny have earned more than $17.8 million so far.

Though Read the Footnotes was able to stretch and win in graded company at nine furlongs, his progeny race at an average distance of 6.72 furlongs and win at an average of 6.77 furlongs. 

"That's perfect for New Mexico," said Bryan Petty. "If you can run six furlongs here, you're made."

Creekside Farm is near Tularosa, N.M., which is about 30 minutes from Ruidoso Downs. The Pettys got their introduction to standing stallions last year when they stood two for an owner who primarily bred mostly her own mares along with a few outside mares.

Now the Pettys are all-in with Read the Footnotes, who will be standing for an advertised fee of $2,000 for the 2019 season.