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October 29, 2007


GINGER PUNCH SCORES BIG WIN FOR HELENA HANDBASKET OWNERS,
HALF-SISTER TO YEARLING WINS $2-MILLION BREEDERS’ CUP DISTAFF,
VALOR OWNS 50-PERCENT OF HALF TO PROBABLE CHAMPION FILLY


The half-sister to probable 2007 champion Ginger Punch is being offered by Team Valor.
(click on photo for larger image)
Ginger Punch took some of the sting out of Team Valor International having to watch Unbridled Belle flounder in the mud unplaced behind the Adena Springs-owned winner, who had been supplemented to the $2-million Distaff at a cost of $180,000.

Team Valor International had offered for syndication a month ago a yearling half-sister to Ginger Punch for the bargain figure of $200,000, just $20,000 more than owner Frank Stronach paid to make the 4-year-old Ginger Punch eligible for the race.

Ginger Punch not only won the Breeders’ Cup, but in winning her third Grade 1 race of the campaign assured herself of an Eclipse Award as the Champion Older Filly or Mare in North America for 2007.

By doing such, Ginger Punch enhanced the value of her yearling half-sister, whom TVI has named Helena Handbasket.

TVI was able to syndicate only 50 percent of the filly. The percentage sold had climbed to 75 percent at one point, but there were some defections, most likely owing to a fluctuating stock market.

Barry Irwin was faced with a dilemma at the beginning of the week, as some of those folks that had missed the boat before the Distaff now wanted to join the partnership.

“Hold on just a dern minute there pardners,” said Barry Irwin. “Like all markets, you cannot expect to walk in the back door when you had your chance to come through the front door before the race!”

Irwin thought long and hard about how to handle the situation and on Wednesday a light bulb finally switched on in his cranial cavity. No, it was not “toga party” but “lottery time.”

“I suspect there are plenty of folks out there that would like to participate in this filly,” Irwin surmised. “So the fairest way is to conduct a lottery. We will re-offer the filly at $300,000. This is an increase of 50 percent and the figure still represents considerable value in today’s market.


Ginger Punch won the G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff.
“We will make available 40 percent of the filly in increments of $7,500 for interests of 2 ˝ percent each. Participants in this lottery will be allowed to enter as many as 4 times so that theoretically they can wind up with as much as 10 percent if that is their desire.

“This way everybody has an equal chance to get what they want out of the deal.”

Deadline for entries into the lottery will be Thursday evening at 1 minute before midnight. All entries must be made via e-mail to the account of Amy Collingsworth at teamvalor2@aol.com

If 40 percent or less is subscribed by participants, no lottery will be required and all seeking entry into the Helena Handbasket partnership will be accommodated. If more than 40 percent is sought, the lottery will take place at 10 a. m. on Friday at the offices of Team Valor in downtown Versailles.

Amy Collingsworth will make a small ticket for each entrant, place them in a bowl and Barry Irwin will pick up tickets blindly and randomly until the filly has been fully subscribed.

Helena Handbasket currently is training in the bluegrass with Kellyn Gorder, who will send her to Bill Reccio at the Classic Mile in a couple of weeks. The filly will be trained in the Northeast and she will take advantage of being a Pennsylvania-bred at some stage of her career.

To read the original offering page on the filly go to www.teamvalor.com/offerings/HelenaHandbasket/