McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds has enjoyed tremendous success with their young stallion Solomini , the leading first-crop sire standing outside Kentucky. He is 10th overall among first-crop sires.
The now 8-year-old chestnut son of Curlin will be well represented next weekend in both the Great White Way and Fifth Avenue divisions of the New York Stallion Stakes Series Dec. 16 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The Great White Way, for eligible New York-sired 2-year-olds, and Fifth Avenue, for eligible state-sired juvenile fillies, each carry a $500,000 purse and are run at seven furlongs on the main track. Solomini is the sire of five of the 18 horses nominated to the Great White Way and seven of the 16 fillies nominated to the Fifth Avenue.
"Races like this are a big incentive when you're selling 2-year-olds and yearlings, but 2-year-olds in particular," said McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds' founder Joe McMahon. "It's a huge incentive when you tell people these horses are available for a half-million dollar race in December—that really gets their attention."
Big Dom Racing Stable and Big Toe Stables' Heavyweight Champs, by Solomini and out of the Officer mare Miss Bonnie, was purchased for $290,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and is slated to make his debut in the Great White Way for trainer Rudy Rodriguez.
Other OBS graduates by Solomini include Edward Allred and Jack Liebau's maiden winner Wynstock, a $700,000 buy who is nominated to the $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) Dec. 16 for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, and the Carlos David-trained stakes-placed My Shea D Lady, a $100,000 purchase who is probable for the Fifth Avenue.
Among the leading chances in the Fifth Avenue is Bregman Family Racing, Jackpot Farm, and Swinbank Stables' Soloshot, who brought $290,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, where she breezed in :10 1/5.
Soloshot, bred in New York by Rhapsody Farm and trained by George Weaver, won her first two outings by dictating the tempo in 5 1/2-furlong state-bred sprints with a debut off-the-turf score in August at Saratoga Race Course and became her sire's first stakes winner with a two-length victory in the Lady Finger Stakes in September at Finger Lakes.
McMahon said Solomini, who already has 11 winners this year, has impressed with his versatility in runners from various family lines.
As a racehorse, Solomini banked $834,993 through a record of 2-4-5 in 16 starts, led by his achievements in 2017 when he picked up stakes placings in the Frontrunner Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar. He crossed the wire first in the Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity (G1) but was demoted to third for interference in deep stretch.
Solomini, who stands for $7,500, was bred to 123 mares in 2020.
"Solomini, by the results of his runners at the track and at the sales, has proven to be a formidable stallion not only in New York but across North America as well," said Najja Thompson, executive director of New York Thoroughbred Breeders.
McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds is hosting a stallion show and open house from 1- 4 p.m. ET Dec. 9 that will include showings of Central Banker , Solomini, and Redesdale, as well as newcomers Provocateur and Bucchero .
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
