ClassicStar

Breeding/Racing Operation: Under the direction of S. David Plummer of Utah and Tony Ferguson of Florida, the Versailles, Ky., farm embarked on an ambitious commercial breeding operation several years ago with the acquisition of numerous high-priced broodmares ... ClassicStar was the leading buyer of broodmares in 2002 and 2003 in North America with respective purchases of $17.5 million and $13.7 million ... One acquisition in 2002 was Bless, a full sister to Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, for $4 million at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale ... In a private sale at that year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November selected mixed sale, ClassicStar bought champion Xtra Heat for $1.5 million … Legal issues have since led to the demise of ClassicStar, a one-time marketer of high-profile mare leases to mostly new players in the Thoroughbred industry ... In Feb. 2006, Plummer and his son, Spencer, left ClassicStar before the Internal Revenue Service raided the farm … During the 2006 Keeneland September yearling sale, Taylor Made Sales Agency consigned some 60 yearlings with ClassicStar connections ... About 65 ClassicStar mares were sold at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale for a combined $20,837,000, including Grade 1 winner Hookedonthefeelin, who sold for $2.9 million ... In June 2007, Woodford Thoroughbreds, a partnership between John Sykes of Clover Leaf Farm II in Ocala and Tony Ferguson, bought about 305 acres of ClassicStar Farm, and many of the former ClassicStar mares still reside there, now under Woodford management, including Bless, Xtra Heat, and Chatta Code, dam of 2008 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Desert Code, bred by ClassicStar. In 2009, Chatta Code has a yearling full sister to Desert Code named Five Mach Speed, a weanling filly by Discreet Cat, and has been bred back to E Dubai. ... Other formerly ClassicStar mares at Woodford include Regal Miss Copelan, dam of G2 winner and sire Rockport Harbor, Win Crafty Lady, dam of G1 winner Harmony Lodge and G2 winner Graeme Hall, and 2001 Broodmare of the Year Turko's Turn. ... ClassicStar also bred Canadian champion Bear Now, classic winner Astronomer Royal, and G2 winner Burmilla. ... Sykes consolidated his operation and transferred it to Kentucky ... On Sept. 14, 2007, ClassicStar LLC filed for Chapter 11 protection in Kentucky federal court, which was converted to Chapter 7 in April of 2008, allowing creditors to pursue whatever assets they can recoup. ... ClassicStar and related entities and individuals were involved in more than 30 civil lawsuits filed at various court levels in six different states. On Oct. 27, 2009, Spencer Plummer, David Plummer, and Terry Green pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to get tax benefits from the investments in ClassicStar.