| December 28 2007 Van Ruymbeke breaks his Maiden |
| December 23 2007 Martingrange Boy in the winner’s circle |
| December 5 2007 Double delight for Martin Grange |
| November 27 2007 Superfast Freddie wins again |
| November 23 2007 'Blue' is home like a rocket |
| November 21 2007 Fast Freddie steps up a gear at Wolverhampton |
| November 20 2007 No luck for Piccolo at Kempton |
| November 19 2007 Music Box Express improving all the time |
| November 8 2007 Eyeshield does the trick for Piccolo |
| October 14 2007 Bright future for the Falcon |
| September 29 2007 Not My Choice steps up to the mark |
| August 15 2007 Haajes shows ability over five furlong dash |
| August 14 2007 Murphy saddles up first winner in UK |
| March 20 2007 Les Arcs honoured in America |
| January 18 2007 Les Arcs European top rated sprinter |
| June 24 2006 Les Arcs clinches Golden Jubilee |
The Maryland Horse Breeders Association (MHBA) has announced the Maryland-bred champions of 2006.
Les Arcs was named Maryland-bred Horse of the Year, as well as champion older male, sprinter and turf runner, in the annual poll conducted by the MHBA.
Bred by James Moran’s Elk Manor Farm in North East, Md., Les Arcs rose from obscurity as a 6-year-old last season to establish himself as a top sprinter in England. He won the Golden Jubilee Stakes-G1 at Royal Ascot on June 20, and 20 days later captured England’s most prestigious sprint race, the July Cup-G1 at Newmarket, each time defeating international sprint star Takeover Target.
He also won the Cammidge Trophy at Redcar (in his first turf outing of the season, on March 25) and just missed in Newmarket’s Abernant Stakes.
Les Arcs, a gelding by Arch—La Sarto, by Cormorant, was consigned by Moran to the 2001 Keeneland September Yearling sale, where John Ferguson bought him for $140,000 on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Stable. After a disappointing effort in the fall of his 2-year-old season, he was offered at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training sale.
His current owner, British soccer agent Willie McKay, bought him at that auction for the U.S. equivalent of approximately $63,000. Les Arcs labored unimpressively at middle distances, and made a failed attempt at hurdles as a 4-year-old, before being transferred to the barn of trainer Tim Pitt in the fall of 2005.
Under Pitt’s handling, Les Arcs bankrolled $855,075 during 2006, bringing his career total to $959,662.
Les Arcs is one of only two Maryland-bred runners to earn the Maryland-bred Horse of the Year title in races outside of this country. The other was El Gran Senor, Europe’s champion 3-year-old colt in 1984.
20 March 2007