As we approach the opening of the 2024 breeding season, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why.
Here we catch up with Larry Johnson, the owner of Legacy Farm in Bluemont, Virginia.
“I'm trying to go from primarily breed-to-race to more commercial opportunities,” said Johnson.
A GREAT TIME (10, Street Magician – Short Time, by Clever Trick) to be bred to Constitution
A homebred stakes winner of nearly $250,000 by my homebred stallion Street Magician (Street Cry {Ire}), she is a three-quarter sister to homebred Grade I winner Victor's Cry (Street Cry {Ire}). Her first foal by Gun Runner is a just-turned 2-year-old that I will race.
She is in foal to Justify, who I was fortunate to get for $100,000, and will be bred to Constitution, who I am a shareholder in. I believe he has his best days still ahead of him.
ALLWEWANTFORXMAS (15, Songandaprayer- Grecian Wings, by Mr. Greeley) to be bred to Cody's Wish
This MSP homebred is the dam of my Grade III winner of $400,000 Spun Glass (Hard Spun) and the stakes-placed winner of nearly $200,000 Xmas Surprise (More Than Ready). I will race her current 3-year-old by Hard Spun. Her 2-year-old by Gun Runner was a $325,000 Keeneland September Yearling.
She is booked to Cody's Wish, whose record and story needs no further explanation.
IN THE NAVY NOW (11, Midshipman – Looking Afar, by Broad Brush) to be bred to Maxfield
A relatively rare 2-year-old purchase for Mike Trombetta and me. She is a stakes winner of $250,000 and her first foal is the now stakes-placed filly Naval Empire (Empire Maker). Her current 3-year-old sold for $200,000 at Keeneland. She has a Street Sense 2-year-old that we retained and an Omaha Beach yearling. She is in foal to McKinzie and booked to Maxfield to leverage the quality of her current Street Sense 2-year-old.
NEVER ENOUGH TIME (6, Munnings – What Time it Is, by Partner's Hero) to be bred to Life Is Good
A homebred daughter of Munnings, she is a multiple stakes winner of $400,000. Her first foal is a Constitution yearling. She is back in foal to him and will be bred to Life Is Good, who averaged over $400,000 as a covering sire. The potential should be limitless.
PAST AS PRELUDE (13, Bernardini – Magical Meadow, by Meadowlake) to be bred to Charlatan
A homebred daughter of Bernardini and a half to my homebred graded stakes winner Street Magician. She is already the dam of the MSP earner of $245,000 Continentalcongres and the stakes-quality filly Future is Now (Great Notion). She is booked to Charlatan for this year. His racing ability and pedigree speaks for itself and his first crop has averaged nearly $200,000.
SKY COPPER (19, Sky Mesa – Legendary Priness, by Gone West) to be bred to Maxfield
This stakes-placed mare is already the dam of Sky's Not Falling, a current stakes winner of $400,000, and two stakes horses by Street Magician. Her current 2-year-old by McKinzie was a $230,000 RNA at Saratoga this past year. She has a McKinzie yearling and is in foal to him. She is booked to Maxfield for 2024, all to leverage the Street Cry influence (that has already worked). The 2024 breeding will also be a 3×3 breeding to Caress, the dam of Sky Mesa.
SPUN GLASS (7, Hard Spun – Allwewantforxmas, by Songandaprayer) to be bred to Medaglia d'Oro
Spun Glass is a newly retired homebred Grade III winner of $400,000. Her first breeding will be to Medaglio d'Oro, a proven Grade I sire who gets runners on all surfaces and distances. At his current fee, he is a remarkable value.
WALK OF STARS (13, Street Sense – Star Kell, by Star de Naskra) to be bred to Essential Quality
Walk of Stars is a homebred stakes winner and is a half to Strike the Moon (Malibu Moon), a multiple stakes winner of nearly $700,000, and What Time It Is (Partner's Hero), the dam of MSW Never Enough Time (Munnings). Her 3-year-old by Constitution was a $600,000 Keeneland September graduate. She has already produced the stakes placed Hollywood Walk (Animal Kingdom). She has a Maclean's Music yearling and is in foal to Jack Christopher, which will produce a breeding similar to Never Enough Time. She is booked to Essential Quality for 2024 to build on the Tapit bloodline that produced her $600,000 yearling.
WHAT TIME IT IS (Partner's Hero – Star Kell, by Star de Naskra) to be bred to Olympiad
What Time It Is is a MSP homebred with earnings of $220,000. Her current 3-year-old by Munnings was a $280,000 Saratoga grad and is currently in training with Wesley Ward. She has already produced MSW Never Enough Time (Munnings) and is currently in foal to Charlatan. She will be bred to Olympiad for 2024. Both of these stallions have been extremely well received by the market to this point.
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