7/3/10 - Happy Fourth of July from everyone at CCS. We wish you all well and hope you are enjoying a great day with friends and family. We especially want to take the time to congratulate all of the winners and their connections from last nights Evangeline Downs Louisiana Showcase Night.
Of course we wish to express our special congratulations to Evelyn and Maurice Benoit for their exciting wins with Miss Bean Wah, by Afternoon Deelites, who won the $100,000 Louisiana Showcase Distaff and set a New Track Record and the ever-magnificent Star Guitar winning the $100,000 Louisiana Showcase Classic, who is nothing short of phenomenal. We would also like to congratulate Red Oak Stable and Summerhill Equine, owner and breeder of Shezacrazygirl, by Ide, who won the $75,000 Louisiana Showcase Mile in remarkable fashion. And finally congrats to Al Stall, Pam Fitzgerald, et al who trained all three of these athletes. Their talent and hard work helped make these things possible. If this were not some sort of record for a trainer and assistant team, it would have to be awfully close.
Again Congrats to everyone and have a great Day in celebration of our Great Nations Birth….
Sincerely,
Val Murrell
6/21/10 - Bayou Hebert Euthanized:
Bayou Hebert (Hoist The Flag--Regal Rumor, by Damascus), damsire of Grade I winner Midas Eyes (Touch Gold), was euthanized Wednesday, June 16, due to the infirmities of old age. He was 29.
Bayou Hebert entered stud in 1986 and stood his entire stallion career at Clear Creek Stud in Folsom, Louisiana. He has accumulated lifetime progeny earnings of over $5.25 million from 21 crops. His leading runners include multiple stakes winner Bayou Plans, dam of Midas Eyes, MGSW Bayou's Lassie (Outflanker), MSW Bourbon n Blues
(Lycius), and G1SP Al Zir (Medaglia d'Oro), who topped the 2009 Fasig-Tipton Calder Sale on John Ferguson's $1.6-million bid.
12/1/09 - Dear Breeders,
As always, we are pleased to welcome you all to Clear Creek Stud, LLC for our annual
stallion presentation. We appreciate you joining us. We look forward each year to this
opportunity to visit and discuss the latest issues facing our industry and how best to
utilize and promote all that is offered by our strong state breeders program in Louisiana,
which I suspect is the envy of the nation. Then we offer the chance to look at the best
horses around and to develop mating plans~serious and exciting business. We have grown to enjoy this event, the autumn weather, meeting new friends and connecting with old friends, all in a holiday atmosphere. The foaling and breeding season is coming soon with planning and hard work in everyone’s future, all welcomed with keen anticipation.
The New Year will bring many changes, some challenges, but as always you can depend on the dedication and experience offered by Clear Creek Stud, LLC.
We are very excited to introduce two new stallions: HALF OURS, the Graded Stakes Winning, Stakes Record Setting son of Unbridled’s Song is coming to Clear Creek Stud for the 2010 season. Half Ours was undefeated at two, breaking his maiden by 10 3/4 lengths at Keeneland, following up with a stakes record setting win in the Three Chimneys Juvenile Stakes. That same year, he sold for $6,100,000 at the 2006 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, (the highest price ever for a horse in training sold at Keeneland). He went on to win the Grade 2 Richter Scale Breeders’ Cup
Sprint at Gulfstream Park with blistering internal fractions of :21 3/5 and :43 3/5.
You all know COSTA RISING, the brilliant son of Royal Strand, Louisiana Horse of the
Year and two-time Accredited Louisiana Bred Champion, who is retiring to stud as the third highest earning Louisiana Bred racehorse. From ages two to six, Costa Rising won on dirt and turf from 4 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles, setting a New Track Record in the Evangeline Mile Handicap. He completed his race career with ten stakes wins and total earnings of $901,616.
Along with these two, our roster of stallions provides breeders with a selection of exciting young sires and as well as tried and true proven progenitors. The first crop by the beautiful and brilliant sprinter/miler LION TAMER, a Grade 1 winner in New York of over $1 million, are two-year-olds of 2010. These outstanding individuals made their sire the Leading First Year Louisiana-Based Sire at both the August Fasig Tipton Texas Sale and the September Breeders’ Sales Company of Louisiana Yearling Sales.
The first runners by $330,200 multiple sprint SW OLE REBEL, a son of speed
influence CARSON CITY, are set to begin racing next year as well. DOCTOR MIKE, a hickory tough and versatile multiple SW of $503,799, has two winners from only five starters in his first crop, including DOC OF THE BAY, who broke her maiden in her first out as a juvenile, going 5 furlongs in :59-2. With his first crop, two-year-olds of 2009, the regally bred Grade 3 placed Canadian classic contender Ford Every Stream, is Louisiana’s Leading Active Freshman Sire of 2009, represented by Louisiana Stallion Stakes (filly div.) winner PASS IT DOWN.
We are blessed to have such proven sires as Three Time Louisiana Leading Sire AFTERNOON DEELITES, who had another outstanding year in 2009 led by California
G2SW ZAPPA, his leading earner with $574,912, setting his third track record (1 1/2 miles in 2:30.53 at Del Mar) in the Cougar II Stakes.
IDE is currently ranked 4th in the state byearnings with over $2 Million and was the Leading Sire by average, two or more sold at the Breeders Sales Company of Louisiana, Inc. Yearling Sale. His 2009 Stakes Winners include 2008 Louisiana Bred Champion Three Year Old IDE LIKE A DOUBLE and undefeated 2yo SHEZACRAZYGIRL winner of the inaugural $250,000 Louisiana Jewel S. at Delta Downs (11-6).
PORTO FORICOS is the sire of Champion 2-year-old filly& Sovereign Award winner MY VINTAGE PORT ($734,353), DELAFORCE (to 4, 2009, $328,557), ANNE’S PURSE (to 4, 2009, $297,098) & SHUT IT DOWN. His AEI (1.66) and APEX (1.99) figures are tops in Louisiana.
Multiple Track Record setting SW B. J.’S MARK has 67%
winners from starters lifetime & each starter has average
earnings over $51,000 with 21% of them stakes horses
including 2009 stakes-placed winner Warren’s Mark.
You can feel comfortable knowing there are stallions at
Clear Creek Stud to suit your needs as a breeder, whether
your program is geared toward the commercial market or
producing runners capable of competing on a national level.
Certainly, I want to express my gratitude to all of those
that are responsible for caring for all of the horses, in
particular our farm manager Yvette Barbazon. Quite simply,
she does a phenomenal job that serves everyone. Michelle,
who runs the training center, is following in those footsteps
and the two are truly a force. They have plenty of support
from people I am also very proud of. My wonderful clients
and myself, are fortunate to have such a group that are
constantly learning, evolving and developing so in the end
they reinforce one another and complement the work they do
for all of us. We are thankful for the really nice horses we
care for and manage, and for all of their owners who we all
work for, who are themselves dedicated to developing and
promoting this great industry. Their passion and support keep
everything moving forward.
Enjoy the day!
Sincerely,
Val C. Murrell
10/5/09 - Costa Rising to Stand at Clear Creek Stud
The 2007 Louisiana-Bred Horse of the Year Costa Rising (Royal Strand {Ire}--Gal's List, by List), will stand his first season at stud at Clear Creek Stud in Folsom,
Louisiana. Bred in Louisiana by Dr. Delmar Caldwell and
Jo Ann Thompson's Double Dam Farm, the six-year-old
Costa Rising won 15 of 26 starts, including nine blacktype
events. His 12 1/4-length win in the $200,000
Evangeline Mile H. in 2007 earned him a 115 Beyer,
and in his next start he won an Evangeline allowance
with a 118 Beyer.
"He is one of the top three Louisiana-
breds in history, and he had some of the best Beyer
speed figures of any Louisiana-bred ever--118 and
115," commented Glenn Delahoussaye, who trained
Costa Rising during his Louisiana Horse of the Year
season in 2007. "I think for this region he was a phenomenal
athlete. I was privileged to be his trainer." No
stud fee was announced.
Top Louisiana Stallion Zuppardo's Prince Euthanized
Courtesy of the Blood-Horse
 |
Zuppardo's Prince
Photo: Barbara D. Livingston |
Zuppardo’s Prince, the leading stallion in Louisiana for a record 10 times, was euthanized due the infirmities of old age Aug. 24 at Clear Creek Stud in Folsom, La., where he stood his entire stud career.
Zuppardo’s Prince, by Cornish Prince out of Prim Lady, by Primate, helped make Clear Creek Stud one of the leading stud farms in Louisiana. In a stallion career that spanned 21 years, he sired 579 foals, of which 496 made it to the races. He sired 34 stakes winners and six Louisiana champions from 379 winners of 1,632 races with lifetime earnings of $16,283,849.
Champions sired by Zuppardo’s Prince included graded-stakes winners Zuppardo Ardo ($667,886) who won the Humana Distaff (gr. II) at Churchill Downs and nine other stakes, and Astas Foxy Lady ($335,032), who won the Adirondack Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga.
In 2006, Zuppardo’s Prince was represented by his most recent stakes winner and champion, Grande Facile, who was voted champion Louisiana-bred 3-year-old filly. His other state-bred champions include She’s A Little Shy ($423,832), Early Goer ($231,694), and Je’Pardo ($130,992).
Zuppardo’s Prince was purchased by Anthony Zuppardo as a yearling at the Keeneland September yearling sale in 1977. After a racing career in which he won 12 of 28 starts, including the Phoenix Handicap at Keeneland two years in a row, he was syndicated by Jack Lohman to stand at Clear Creek Stud.
Zuppardo chose to only sell half of the shares and retained ownership of half of Zuppardo’s Prince throughout his stud career. Zuppardo died in April of this year.
A Greeting from Val Murrell
Dear Breeder,
A year has come and gone since Katrina and Rita ravaged South Louisiana, and most everyone is getting back to their normal state of affairs. Throughout this experience, we have been drawn closer together, all of us pulling together to help those who need it the most. Now it is time to look forward ..Presently, we are very excited by the new beginnings observed at the tracks hardest hit by the storms. Both Delta Downs and the Fair Grounds are up and running and going well.
This year we are introducing an unprecedented, 3 new horses to the Stallion Roster for 2007! Credentials abound with LION TAMER, G1 winner of over 1 million dollars in earnings, OLE REBEL, a 4 time stakes winning son of CARSON CITY and recently relocated Canadian Sire PORTO FORICOS by Mr Prospector who already has a 2 year old Sovereign Award winning Champion to his credit.
We are very pleased with the proven stallions in our breeding shed. AFTERNOON DEELITES continues to dominate the Louisiana Leading Sires list and ranks nationally as well. IDE is presenting some phenomenal statistics with 84% winners
from starters and average earnings per starter of $61,549. He has done well at the sales as well as the track, with a filly by Ide selling for $270,000 at the Fasig Tipton Texas 2YO In training Sale. From a limited number of runners, B.J.’S MARK already has two SWs (11% from foals) and a stakes placed runner. And BAYOU HEBERT and PLACID FUND continue to be represented consistently in the winners circle.
Our roster is rounded out with four tremendous runners, each with impeccible pedigrees. FORD EVERY STREAM is a Graded Stakes Placed winner of $263,007. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of his first crop in 2007. DOCTOR MIKE
is a Stakes Winner seven times, with earnings of $503,799. His first crop hit the ground this year, and they look terrific. STORM DAY, a Graded Stakes Placed son of the outstanding sire and sire of sires Storm Cat, now has two winners from
his first crop, which are 2YOs this year. KIMBERLITE PIPE, a Graded Stakes Winner of nearly $1 million, has his first crop of runners this year as well. With only three starters thus far, two are placed.
Given the quality of the stallions gathered at Clear Creek Stud, I am very excited to be offering this fine roster, and am anticipating bright futures for them and their progeny. I believe the future holds great promise for so many of our peers because there is so much activity at the races and sales venues. Horsemen and women are very enthusiastic and moving forward. We fully expect to be a part of that progress and to contribute to the successes of all the breeders in the region. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to share with and serve breeders from everywhere, but especially
Louisiana for 2007 and beyond.
On our web site, you have access to the Jack Werk nicking system for our entire roster at no charge as well as Hypothetical Mating which is provided by the LTBA. You may wish to visit the web site for current runners for each of the stallions standing that do in fact have progeny competing all over the world. Our staff, both farm and office, will be
available anytime to answer questions or to make arrangements of any kind involving your horses.
I am pleased to reportthat “our own" Dr. Leonard Brown, friend, mentor, and integral part of Clear Creek Stud for so long, is doing well after having to take time off for medical treatment. I know I am not alone in missing him, and I'm hoping he will soon be
back, as he is invaluable!
We sincerely hope everyone has the chance to have lunch and share an afternoon at Clear Creek Stud on December 2nd at our annual stallion presentation. Come by to see all of the stallions,visit with all of our friends and peers who share so much in terms of our work and dreams for tomorrow. Bring a friend-Enjoy the day.
Sincerely,
Val Murrell
8/15-
Clearcreek had a good day in the HALLOWED DREAMS S. at
Louisiana Downs with Forty Dolls by Forty Won running
second and Scottish Heritage by Bayou Hebert running third.
3/26
- Clear Creek stallions almost sweep the Mademoiselle
at Delta Downs with Belek's Notrestraintable
second, Bayou Herbert's Scottish Heritage
second, and Rail's Midnight Judge fourth.
PLACID
FUND's first SW, PLACID STAR has lived
up to her name and remains undefeated after 5 starts,
three of them in stakes company. More>>
2/10
- Bill Oppenheim charts IDE
and Afternoon Deelites as a top 10 stallions with first
foals of 1998 by ABC runners/ABC Index .
2/7
- CLEAR CREEK stallions were busy at LOUISIANA
PREMIER NIGHT at Delta Downs with Placid Fund
getting his first SW as his 3 year old daughter PLACID
STAR won the STARTLET , MAGAGRA's SPIRIT
OF MALAGRA won the RAGIN CAJUN STARTER S., Toby’s
Success by Forty Won was third in the SPRINT
S. and Rich’n Restless by Belek
ran third in the LADIES STARTER S. Please see more details
under each stallion's news.
From
the Feb. 4th 2004 edition of Thoroughbred Daily News
AFTERNOON DEELITES boasts quite respectable,
well above average
figures and therefore looks the second really good buy
out of Kentucky by Louisiana's
Clear Creek Stud. Clear Creek's first good buy out of
Kentucky and a great sire
at $2,500 is IDE with a 2.51 rating for C runners and
2.12 rating for 3-year-old ABC
Index Ratings
Bill Oppenheim
AFTERNOON DEELITES and IDE were the only
two sires in the entire
south to be ranked among Oppenheim's list of 11 SIRES
"WORTH THE
MONEY" @ $7,500 & UNDER and were two of only
three on that list
standing for $4,000 or less.
As testiment to their racing class, it should be noted
that IDE
was weighted at 121 lbs. (4th highest)on the Experimental
Free Handicap(2-year-olds
of 1995)and AFTERNOON DEELITES was rated 2nd Highweight
(124 lbs.) as a 2-year-old
and 120 lbs. (5th Highweight) as a 3-year-old of 1995
Afternoon
Deelites relocated to Louisiana
Afternoon Deelites, a sire of nine stakes winners in his
first five
crops of racing age, will stand at Clear Creek Stud near
Folsom,
Louisiana, in 2004, Airdrie Stud owner Brereton Jones
announced
on Monday. Airdrie and a syndicate will retain ownership
in the 11-
year-old son of Private Terms and will stand him for $4,000.
CLEAR
CREEK has an exciting LOUISIANA CHAMPIONS DAY despite
the uncooperative weather at the FAIR GROUNDS.
MALAGRA
gets a new stakes winner in the $100,000, LOUISIANA CHAMPIONS
DAY LASSIE S. as ROSE OF SOPHIA, f. 2,
Malagra— T. V. Lady, by Kentuckian slogs to an easy
victory in just her third start for owner, Kara Gael Baggett;
breeder, Mike Kennington (La.) and trainer, Cole Norman.
She has never been off the board.
AUTOCRACY's
tough 5 year old marre, Autobesarah (Autocracy—Shesa
Due, by Fast Gold) amkes her 40th start and earns a stakes
plaving in the LOUISIANA CHAMPIONS DAY LADIES S for owner
Forgreen Racing Stable LLC; breeder, Clear Creek Stud
LLC & Valene Farms (La.); trainer, Corale A. Richards.
She pashed her earnings close to $250,000.
RAIL gets new stakes placing for sons,
Go Rail Go and Mr. Sulu. Go Rail
Go out of Lynzy’s Pro by Aspro runs second
in the LOUISIANA CHAMPIONS DAY SPRINT S.for owner Maggi
Moss, breeder, Noise P. Begnaud (La.) and trainer, Michael
V. Pino. Consistant runner Mr. Sulu out
of Genesis Effect by I’m a Lyre was second in the
LOUISIANA CHAMPIONS DAY TURF S. for owner, A. L. Murray
& Josie Carroll, breeder, A. L. McMurray Jr. (La.)
and trainer, Josie Carroll.
