Airdrie Stud

We are all the products of our environment. Tim Thornton could see as much, when he saw a foal that had been delivered at sea trying to walk on dry land for the first time. "He was, like, six weeks old," he recalls. "It was so funny to see him get off that ship, rocking everywhere, giving it the sea legs." But then that's pretty well how Thornton himself might have felt, as one born and bred for horses, had he ever been torn away to work in some other...

Edited Press Release As One Racing Stables has launched its first diverse and inclusive racing partnership. The group will race under the As One Racing banner and has acquired its first equine athlete to promote the group's mission and vision. As One Racing was formed by a group of six like-minded individuals with a desire to grow the sport by broadening its base and bringing new faces to the industry. Turning to history, the group recognized the need for the African American community that had once been a vital part...

Just six days after the passing of his owner Burt Bacharach, Afternoon Deelites, a six-time graded-stakes winner, was euthanized Feb. 14 at Old Friends, the Kentucky-based Thoroughbred retirement farm, due to complications from colic. He was 31. Old Friends President and Founder Michael Blowen announced his passing Wednesday morning. The dark bay stallion, who was the farm's oldest resident, was just two weeks shy of his 31st birth date. Bred by Blue Seas Music Inc., the son of Private Terms--Intimate Girl, by Medaille d'Or, was foaled in West Virginia on...

Born just a day apart in the same foaling barn, two daughters of Girvin once roamed the same Bluegrass fields in their early days at Airdrie Stud. On Saturday, the duo will meet again as 'TDN Rising Star' Faiza and stakes-placed Blessed Touch enter the starting gate for the GI Starlet S. at Los Alamitos Race Course. The Brereton C. Jones-bred fillies represent two of the 20 winners this year for fast-starting first-crop stallion Girvin, who has relocated from Ocala Stud to Airdrie for the 2023 breeding season. With four...

GSW & MGISP American Freedom (Pulpit--Gottcha Last, by Pleasant Tap) has been sold to Bob and Tyree Wolesensky's Leadem Farm and will stand stud in Arkansas beginning the 2023 breeding season. American Freedom will command a stud fee of $3,500 LF. He stood at Airdrie Stud his first four seasons. The purchase was facilitated by Brock Martin and Steve Castagnola of Taylor Made Sales Agency. "We wanted to find the perfect match for Arkansas breeders and we are very happy with this beautiful son of Pulpit," Tyree Wolesensky, President of...

Klaravich Stables's multiple track-record setter Highly Motivated (Into Mischief--Strong Incentive, by Warrior's Reward) will join the Airdrie Stud stallion roster for the upcoming 2023 breeding season, the farm announced Tuesday. He will stand for a fee of $7,500 LFSN. A son of perennial leading sire Into Mischief, Highly Motivated was purchased by Mike Ryan as a weanling on behalf of his owner for $240,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale. Entrusted to trainer Chad Brown, Highly Motivated broke his maiden as the 3-5 favorite in September of his 2-year-old year...

Led by top three third-crop sire Upstart, whose fee has risen from $10,000 to $30,000 for the upcoming year, Airdrie Stud has released the stud fees for the farm's 2023 stallion roster. New stallion Happy Saver, a Grade I winner who will retire after an expected start in the Nov. 5 GI Breeders' Cup Classic, and Girvin, a top freshman sire whose three stakes winners include GII Saratoga Special S. winner Damon's Mound and who has been relocated from Ocala Stud, will stand for $12,500 and $20,000, respectively. "These are...

Wertheimer and Frere's homebred Grade I winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Happy Saver (Super Saver--Happy Week, by Distorted Humor) will retire to Airdrie Stud in Midway, Kentucky following this year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic, Airdrie Stud announced Friday. He will stand for an initial fee of $12,500 LFSN. Undefeated in his first five starts, Happy Saver's signature victory came in the historic GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, where he won the race as a 3-year-old in his fourth career start. Most recently, Happy Saver has finished second in each of...

Fast-starting freshman sire Girvin (Tale of Ekati--Catch the Moon, by Malibu Moon) will relocate to Airdrie Stud for the 2023 breeding season. The 8-year-old stallion, who began his stud career at the O'Farrell family's Ocala Stud, is already the sire of 12 winners from 23 starters, including the GII Saratoga Special S. winner Damon's Mound and Astoria S. winner Devious Dame. Girvin, who raced in the silks of Brad Grady for trainer Joe Sharp, won the 2017 GI Betfair.com Haskell Invitational, as well as that year's GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby...

Grade I winner Include (Broad Brush—Illeria, by Stop the Music) was euthanized July 18 at Airdrie Stud, the farm he called home for the past 19 years, due to a worsening heart condition. He was 25 years old. The Airdrie team were made aware of the stallion's heart condition last year and he was pensioned from stud duty shortly thereafter, in the fall of 2021. "His condition worsened to where he was showing us that there was potentially going to be an unhappy ending and we weren't going to let...

When The Great Maybe (Upstart) left the blocks at Saratoga and strolled in eight lengths ahead of a lively-met field of fillies, she carried not only the silks of Lael Stables--whose name invokes great nostalgia and respect in the halls of the Thoroughbred community--but also the dreams of a small breeding operation an hour north of Lexington, run by Monica Egger. Now, that farm in Piner, Kentucky, has a 'TDN Rising Star' to add to their list of accomplishments. "I have really enjoyed my short foray into Thoroughbreds and have...

The Brereton C. Jones/Airdrie Stud consignment will be bustling in just a few weeks at the Keeneland September Sale as an assembly of over 60 yearlings bred and raised at the landmark Midway farm prepare to go through the ring. The majority of these youngsters represent the dozen-strong stallion roster at Airdrie, which includes two sires that are represented by their first crop of yearlings this year in Grade I-winning millionaires Preservationist (Arch - Flying Dixie, by Dixieland Band) and Divisidero (Kitten's Joy - Madame du Lac, by Lemon Drop...