Issue link: http://nytbreeders.epubxp.com/i/471532
28 New York Breeder | nytbreeders.org | March 2015 Sunny Disposition start for $130,000 from the consignment of Summerfeld, agent. The average price at the sale was $72,480. Last year Upstart tore through maid - en special weight and state-bred stakes foes at Saratoga prior to running second to Daredevil in the Champagne Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park. The New York- bred polished off his 2-year-old cam - paign with a good third in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at San - ta Anita Park. His 2015 debut was a corker, draw - ing away to win the Holy Bull by 5 1 ⁄2 lengths under Jose Ortiz for trainer Rick Violette Jr., who also has trained for the Nielsens. Despite the DQ while drifting out in the Fountain of Youth as the 7-10 favorite, he did fnish well clear of even - tual winner Itsaknockout. Party Silks is by Touch Gold out of In - tend to Win, a daughter of Housebuster, whom Gerald Nielsen purchased for $120,000 in foal to Honour and Glory in 2001. Party Silks never made it to the races. Joanne opted to go to Claiborne Farm in Central Kentucky to breed to Flatter because she was after a son of A.P. Indy. With the success of Upstart, she's gone back to the well as Party Silks is cur - rently in foal to Mineshaft, another son of A.P. Indy. Nielsen has also contacted Bernie Sams at Claiborne to book Party Silks back to Flatter for 2016. Nielsen makes her own breed - ing decisions and "uses everything possible" in determining her mat - ings. She also consults with pedi- gree analyst Alan Porter. Nielsen has a dozen mares on the farm and about 20 horses in to - tal that are cared for by farm man- ager John Grau and Larson. Larson came to Nielsen four years ago with an impressive ré - sumé herself. She managed Ben Walden Jr.'s Vinery in Central Kentucky back in the '90s, taking the farm from 20 mares to 305. She also worked at Wooden Shoe Farm, went out on her own with Larkspur Farm, and worked at Mike Barnett's Blackburn Farm near Midway, Ky. Sunnyfeld has added to its broodmare band of late. "The mares were running so late," Nielsen said. "It's been so cold the mares have gone past their foaling dates by up to a month so we'd get to late April and early May and then it'd be too late to breed them back. This year we didn't have enough mares to foal. We only had fve, so I went out and bought three more." While she said no one horse stands out among the many Nielsen-bred horses, certainly Up - start holds a special place in her heart. "She understands the complex - ity of the game," Barbara Vanlan- gendonck said. "And she knows how to celebrate. "Jerry said one time: 'There are so many highs and lows in this game. I just wish there was more time between them.' "This is just so well deserved for her. He's a legitimate horse, and we are beside ourselves with the possibilities." With Joanne Nielsen and Upstart, there remains plenty of upside. Upstart cleaned up against New York-breds at 2 and has now proved himself along the Triple Crown trail JOSEPH DIORIO THE BLOOD-HORSE LIBRARY Te Gerald Nielsen-bred Capades winning the grade I Selima Stakes in 1988