Grade 1 winner and three-time graded stakes winner Gift Box 's first foal arrived Jan. 19 at St. Simon Place in Lexington. The colt, bred by St. Simon Place and Machmer Hall, is out of the winning Speightstown mare Chelsea Road.
Chelsea Road was sold to St. Simon Place and Machmer Hall at last year's Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $65,000 while in foal. Consigned by Buckland Sales, Chelsea Road is the dam of the stakes-placed filly Go Big Blue Nation (Animal Kingdom) and two other winners from three offspring to race. She hails from the family of Horse of the Year Point Given and multiple graded stakes winner Street Story.
Tommy Wente of St. Simon Place said of the foal, "He's a big attractive colt. I'm very pleased. (He's) got great leg and substance and a very kind eye."
"He looks just like his father did as a baby," added Carrie Brogden of Machmer Hall.
Gift Box, who was bred by Machmer Mall and Carrie and Craig Brogden, went on to become the highest-earning son of Twirling Candy with a bankroll of $1,127,060. A graded stakes-placed 2-year-old, Gift Box was initially trained by Chad Brown for W. S. Farish before being sent out west to John Sadler as a 5-year-old for owner Hronis Racing. It was then that the gray captured the Santa Anita Handicap Presented by San Miguel Indian Bingo and Casino (G1) and two editions of the San Antonio Stakes (G2).
Gift Box stands at Lane's End Farm in Lexington for $10,000.
