Claiborne Farm has secured the breeding rights to Grade I stakes winner Prince of Monaco (Speightstown–Rainier, by Medaglia d'Oro), who will enter stud at the Paris nursery at the conclusion of his racing career. The 3-year-old, winner of last year's GIII Best Pal Stakes and GI Del Mar Futurity, is expected to start next in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. He is coming off narrowly beaten runner-up efforts in the GI Woody Stephens Stakes and in the GI H Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes.
“Running a 103 Beyer [in the Best Pal] as a 2-year-old is a significant achievement and a great barometer of talent and ability,” said Claiborne's Walker Hancock. “Additionally, he was only beaten a combined three-quarters of a length in two premier Grade I races at Saratoga this summer, while dealing with troubled trips. We have a tremendous amount of respect for Stonestreet's breeding program and we are excited to add another one of their homebreds in Prince of Monaco to our stallion roster.”
Prince of Monaco, a $950,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase, races for the partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Robert Masterson, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, and Tom Ryan.
“SF Bloodstock has been Speightstown's biggest fan and supporters for going on two decades now,” said Ryan. “On the heels of having Charlatan, we are very excited to be associated
with Speightstown's fastest 2-year-old ever in Prince of Monaco. You would be hard pressed to find a better-looking animal and we are staunch in our beliefs that he will fall into the successful footsteps of his father.”
Bred in Kentucky by Barbara Banke's Stonestreet, Prince of Monaco is out of Rainier (Medaglia d'Oro), a half-sister to stakes winners Laurie's Rocket (Bluegrass Cat) and Greeley's Rocket (Mr. Greeley).
“I am excited for what lies ahead,” said Banke. “Prince of Monaco has been a standout since birth, with his natural talent and athleticism evident from the start. His speed, heart, and sheer brilliance on the track will make him an extraordinary stallion. He's the complete package, and I can't wait to see him pass on that exceptional talent to future generations.”
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