It is possible that in the final days of the year, a runner owned by Californian Nick Alexander will win or place in a race or two at Santa Anita and push the stable past $1.5 million in earnings for the fifth time in the last six years.
Through Dec. 16, Alexander-owned runners had earned $1,457,317 with a win by Shea Brennan in the $102,000 King Glorious Stakes for 2-year-old California-breds at Los Alamitos on Dec. 15 being the latest success.
Shea Brennan was Alexander’s fourth stakes win of 2024, a year in which he took a different approach to his breeding and racing operation.
Alexander, one of the most prominent members of the Thoroughbred community in California, is starting to downsize.
Earlier this month, Alexander participated for the first time in a Fasig-Tipton digital sale. His involvement was billed as a partial dispersal of his herd. Alexander sold 11 of 17 yearlings offered, for $203,650, according to the sale company’s website, and 2 of 5 broodmares, for $8,000.
Alexander said that even with the recent reduction he will have approximately 10 2-year-olds in 2025.
“We saved some good ones,” he said.
Alexander said the decision to sell some of his equine holdings was based on long-term planning.
“I’m 82 years old for one thing,” he said in mid-December. “You never know what day will be your last.
“No one else in my family wants the horses. At some point, you have to start cutting back.”
Alexander cited increased costs and lower purses in California as two other reasons to reassess his equine holdings.
Alexander said the digital sale held appeal because of widely lower costs than a conventional auction. The prospects remained at his farm in Santa Ynez, Calif., instead of being transported to a sale facility in Pomona, Calif., where auctions are held annually in January and October.
“I thought it was great, especially the fact you don’t have to van your horses anywhere,” he said. “They were mostly yearlings, some of which had not been trailered more than once or twice in their life. Going to Pomona from Santa Ynez is stressful. If the horse doesn’t sell, you don’t have to trailer them home again. The prices were fair. They were competitive with yearling sales.
“It was less stress and less expense and less people involved. The people get a fair shake. They get a horse that has been scoped and X-rayed.”
Alexander said the yearling prospects offered were less polished versions of what would be available at a conventional sale.
“Some would be greener than they would if they were going to a real sale,” he said. “Some of these are right out of the field. They have been in a round pen for a few weeks to break.”
The sale results of the broodmares were not encouraging. They were all offered in foal to Grazen, a stallion Alexander owns. The two that sold went for $3,000 and $5,000.
“That’s a sign of the times,” Alexander said. “He’s the leading sire in the state. I would have thought they would have had a little more action.”
California racing is dealing with an uncertain future, particularly on the northern circuit. The Golden State Racing meeting at Pleasanton was held from mid-October to mid-December as a replacement for Golden Gate Fields, which closed permanently in June. Organizers of the Golden State Racing meeting announced in mid-December that it would not seek racing dates this winter and into the spring, leaving Santa Anita as the only daytime Thoroughbred meeting in the state.
The overall effect on the state’s breeding market will not be known for several months since many breeders are based in Northern California and focus on breeding runners to race in that part of the state.
Even with a smaller number of prospects, Alexander’s stable will be plenty active this winter and into 2025. Shea Brennan and Speedy Wilson, the winner of the $176,000 Golden State Juvenile at seven furlongs for statebred 2-year-olds on Nov. 1 at Del Mar, give Alexander two prominent 3-year-olds for the California-bred division.
They are contenders for the $175,000 California Cup Derby at 1 1/16 miles for statebreds on Jan. 11 at Santa Anita. Speedy Wilson missed the King Glorious Stakes after developing an infection in November.
Earlier in the year, Alexander won the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint with Rose Maddox and the Daisycutter Handicap against open company at Del Mar with Connie Swingle.
In 2023, three Alexander-owned runners combined to win seven stakes at Golden Gate Fields and Santa Anita.
Rose Maddox was recently retired and resides at Alexander’s home in Santa Ynez, about a two-hour drive north of Santa Anita.
“She gets apples, carrots, and cookies every day,” Alexander said. “She’ll be bred in the spring.”
Alexander has no plans to part with Rose Maddox but said he has not finalized a mating. Rose Maddox won 7 of 27 starts and earned $567,264.
Rose Maddox is by Grazen, who is in a tight race with Stay Thirsty for the title of 2024 leading stallion in the state by progeny earnings. Through Dec. 16, Grazen’s foals had earned $4.34 million compared to $4.16 million for Stay Thirsty.
Alexander is optimistic that Grazen will attract “65 to 75” mares in 2025. The stallion is based at Eclipse Thoroughbreds in Solvang, a short drive from Alexander’s ranch.
Alexander, himself, plans to support the stallion in the new year. That will not change.
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