Victory Racing Partners' More Than Looks (More Than Ready–Ladies' Privilege, by Harlan's Holiday), who most recently stormed home from the back of the field to win the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar, has been retired from racing and will enter stud at William S. Farish's Lane's End in 2025. He will command an introductory fee of $15,000, live foal, stands and nurses terms.
Bred in Kentucky by Hinkle Farms, More Than Looks was acquired by Victory Racing Partners for $135,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September sale and was turned over to trainer Cherie DeVaux. A maiden winner in his first start going long over the Gulfstream synthetic surface at his second career appearance in March 2023, More Than Looks was the impressive winner of the GIII Manila Stakes in his black-type debut that July and, following a third to 'TDN Rising Star' Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in the GIII Hall of Fame Stakes, rolled home in the Jefferson Cup Stakes at Churchill Downs. Dealt a miserable draw for the 2023 Breeders' Cup Mile, the dark bay came with a flying finish to miss by two lengths in a bunched finish.
More Than Looks made his 4-year-old debut against Carl Spackler in the GI Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga, racing freely off the layoff before charging home into second. A troubled runner-up to his arch-rival in the GI Coolmore Turf Mile Oct. 5, More Than Looks got his revenge at Del Mar Nov. 2, jumping out of the ground in the final furlong to take it by three-parts of a length while posting a career-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure.
“He's an eye-catching horse that showed elite ability from day one,” said DeVaux. “His explosive turn of foot and competitive nature led to consistency at the highest level, and ultimately resulted in him becoming a Breeders' Cup champion.”
The most recent of his much-missed sire's 27 international Grade I/Group 1 winners, More Than Looks is out of a stakes-winning full-sister to three-time graded winner Takeover Target who was purchased by Hinkle Farms for $575,000 at Keeneland November in 2019 with More Than Looks in utero. The Grade I-winning dirt distaffer Critical Eye (Dynaformer) appears under the third dam.
More Than Looks is now available for inspection at Lane's End. Contact Chris Knehr (cknehr@lanesend.com) or Jill McCully (jillmac@lanesend.com) to set up an appointment or for additional information.
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