By Eric Mitchell, BloodHorse Daily
Louisiana freshman sire Calibrachoa had his first winner Oct. 20 when Shy Ruston got up in the final strides of a six-furlong maiden special weight at Delta Downs.
The filly is the third winner from three foals of racing age produced by Shy Baby, a winning daughter of Out of Place. Owned by Brava Stables and trained by Patrick Devereux, Shy Ruston is a half sister to stakes winner Governmentshutdown and stakes-placed winner Ganges .
Shy Ruston was bred in Louisiana by Neal McFadden, who bought Shy Baby for $16,000 out of the 2012 Keeneland November breeding stock sale out of the Denali Stud consignment. Brava Stables bought Shy Ruston for $4,500 at this year’s Equine Sales of Louisiana 2-year-olds and horses of racing age sale out of the 5B Farm consignment. She has now earned $25,770.
Calibrachoa (Southern Image) is a multiple grade III stakes winner bred and raced by Nelson Bunker Hunt until November 2010 when trainer Todd Pletcher claimed him for owner Mike Repole. He went on to win the Tom Fool Handicap and the Toboggan Stakes in 2011 and 2012 and finished third in the 2011 Cigar Mile Handicap (gr. I) behind To Honor and Serve and Hymn Book. He achieved a solid record of 10-3-4 in 20 starts.
Calibrachoa stands at Red River Farms in Louisiana with a 2016 fee of $2,000.
