It's been a banner year for Glennwood Farm, even by the high standards John Gunther and his daughter Tanya have set for their boutique breeding program.Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map) became the latest Classic winner bred by the operation when he claimed the GI Preakness Stakes in May. Over the ensuing three months, the Gunthers' success stretched across the Atlantic: Nola Soul, a son of Glennwood's other Classic winner Justify, landed the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot; Lake Forest (GB) (No Nay Never) claimed the G2 Lennox Stakes; and Zavateri (Ire) (Without Parole {GB}) scored in Goodwood's G2 Celebration Mile in August. Meanwhile in Kentucky, the farm was represented by three yearlings that brought $1.9 million or more.“It's been an incredible year,” reflected Tanya Gunther. “You just can't expect to have another horse compete and win in the Triple Crown races, so to have one after Justify won the Triple Crown back in 2018 has sort of been a dream come true. It was a great feeling and we're really proud of the farm. Everybody works so hard at it, so it's very exciting for the whole team.”The Gunthers are looking forward to adding another compelling–albeit emotional–chapter to their season come November when they offer two Grade I producers at Fasig-Tipton. Atomic Blonde (Scat Daddy), dam of Napoleon Solo, and Wildwood Rose (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), dam of 2024 GI Ashland Stakes victress Leslie's Rose (Into Mischief), are slated to go through the ring on the Night of the Stars. “This is a departure for us,” Gunther explained. “We don't normally sell Group 1 producers. For me, taking those mares up to the sale, I'm not going to make it through without crying. The Night of the Stars is an amazing sale. We've never sold there before, so we thought bringing a couple of our best mares would be interesting. At the moment we have about 35 mares, which is a lot for us. We try to have around 20 to 25, so this is part of a natural reduction that we need to do.”“We are truly honored that John and Tanya have entrusted us with two mares of the quality of Wildwood Rose and Atomic Blonde,” said Fasig-Tipton's Boyd Browning. “The Glennwood name is really synonymous with producing some of the finest racehorses in North America. They obviously do a great job of raising horses and producing runners. They have a great reputation where people are very comfortable buying horses from them, knowing that they're going to have the opportunity to achieve success on the racetrack.”Both homebred mares showcase the reach and impact of the Gunthers' breeding vision.Atomic Blonde at Glennwood Farm | Sara GordonAtomic Blonde's dam Volver (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was purchased in 2011. Raced by John Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock Services, Atomic Blonde was a stakes winner herself before retiring to Glennwood and producing Napoleon Solo two years later.A debut winner in Saratoga for Chad Summers, Napoleon Solo claimed last year's GI Champagne Stakes by 6 1/2 lengths. This year as a 3-year-old, he was fifth in two graded starts before stepping up to win the Preakness and put in two Grade I runner-up performances in the Haskell and Travers. Since then, the colt has been putting in works from Belmont in preparation for the Breeders' Cup Classic.“Napoleon Solo was a strong character as a foal,” Gunther recalled. “Then as a weanling he developed into more of a gentleman. To watch him win the Grade I as a 2-year-old, he did it phenomenally well and very fast. He's really accomplished a lot. It's been fantastic to watch and cheer him on.”Campaigned by Espoir USA, Napoleon Solo is on target to race next year as a 4-year-old and he will retire to Lane's End Farm at the conclusion of his career.With a yearling Authentic colt also in the pipeline, Atomic Blonde is now in foal to Flightline. Gunther said she is excited about the mating.Napoleon Solo wins the GI Preakness Stakes | Sarah Andrew“Atomic Blonde is a nice, medium-sized mare and a good mover,” she noted. “Physically, I think Flightline will really suit her and there are some interesting breeding patterns in there. Flightline is an up-and-coming stallion. So far he's proven he can get dirt and turf. He's got both influences in his pedigree, which is something I love in a stallion, to be able to have that versatility.”Wildwood Rose's family has been curated by the Gunthers for decades. A second-generation homebred, the unraced daughter of Galileo is a half-sister to GI Florida Derby winner Materiality (Afleet Alex) and GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song), the dam of Grade I winner and young sire Annapolis (War Front).“We have quite a bit of that family, which was another reason behind the thinking to sell her,” explained Gunther. “My dad has really developed the family and it's exciting to see so many names on the page that have been bred at Glennwood.”Wildwood Rose is in foal to a full-sibling to Leslie's Rose | Sara GordonRecalling the mating that produced Wildwood Rose, Gunther said, “We sent Wildwood Flower over to Europe, which is an unusual thing for a small operation to do, but my dad loved the turf breeding over there so we brought her to Galileo. Wildwood Rose is an absolute beauty. She has a beautiful walk on her, is a scopey mare and is a dream to be around. She's all class.”The Gunthers' faith in the pedigree was rewarded when Wildwood Rose's first foal brought $900,000 as a yearling and her second, Leslie's Rose, brought $1.15 million when she sold to Whisper Hill Farm.“She throws a bit of herself,” noted Gunther. “Leslie's Rose looked like her–a big, strong filly and a good mover.”Leslie's Rose wins the 2024 GI Ashland Stakes | Coady Media A winner on debut as a 2-year-old, Leslie's Rose went on to claim the 2024 GI Ashland Stakes, defeating Breeders' Cup champion Just FYI (Justify) by three lengths. She earned four more graded placings, including a runner-up effort behind champion Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) in the GI Acorn Stakes and a win in the GII Shuvee Stakes at four.Wildwood Rose has a 2-year-old Not This Time filly that sold as a yearling for $550,000 and she is now carrying a foal by Into Mischief.“Into Mischief has been the leading sire for years now and he continues to produce top horses, so whoever purchases the mare will have the opportunity to have the full-sibling to Leslie's Rose,” Gunther noted.As the sole two offerings in Glennwood Farm's Fasig-Tipton November draft, Wildwood Rose will sell as Hip 163 and Atomic Blonde will go through the ring as Hip 168.“Anybody that knows me knows I like to drink wine,” said Browning. “These are two vines that have been carefully cultivated and nurtured by Glennwood. Both mares are 10 years old. It's a very unusual opportunity to buy mares of this quality from breeders that traditionally don't sell mares like this. It is a great honor, a great opportunity and we take that responsibility very seriously.”The post A Rare Offering: Glennwood Brings Grade I Producers to Fasig-Tipton November appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.