Grade I Sire Belong to Me Passes at 31

Lane's End Farm's Belong to Me (Danzig–Belonging, by Exclusive Native) has passed away due to the infirmities of old age, the farm announced Thursday afternoon. Bred by Joseph and William Stavola, Inc. in New Jersey, the Middletown Stables colorbearer landed the GIII Boojum H. and GIII Best Turn S. both at Aqueduct for Allen Jerkens in 16 starts before embarking on a stallion career. After standing for four years in the Empire State, he moved to Lane's End and stood there until being pensioned in November of 2013. He also shuttled to Widden Stud in Australia for several seasons.

At stud, he sired three champions, 29 graded winners and 71 black-type winners including champion and four-time Grade I winner Forever Together, who won the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf; MGISW Jersey Girl, and Brazilian champion Pippa (Brz) among his 10 Grade/Group I winners in both Hemispheres. During his stint Down Under, he left the likes of MG1SW All Silent (Aus), one of three top-level winners there.

As a broodmare sire, the son of Danzig has sired 69 black-type winners to date, 27 at the graded/group level including 2- and 3-year-old champion Lookin At Lucky (Smart Strike), and GISWs Circular Quay (Thunder Gulch), Jersey Town (Speightstown),  Wet Your Whistle (Stroll) and Nereid (Rock Hard Ten), a winner of the GI American Oaks. Down Under, he was represented by MGSW Bring Me the Maid (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}), who ran third in the G1 Golden Slipper S.

“Belong to Me stood his first four seasons in New York before being moved to Lane's End in 1998,” said Lane's End's Bill Farish. “His stud fee reached a high of $40,000 after siring three Grade I winners in his first three crops; Jersey Girl, Lucky Roberto and Circle of Life. We would like to thank Anthony Thompson's Widden Stud for taking great care of him during his seven seasons shuttling to Australia and also the shareholders who helped us bring him to Kentucky. Belong to Me spent 22 years at Lane's End and will be deeply missed.”