Darren Fox

It's been 17 years now that we've been treated to 2-year-olds by Medaglia d'Oro. From his first GII Golden Rod Stakes winner in his first crop--Rachel Alexandra, a filly who went on to beat the boys more than once and was eventually named Horse of the Year--to his latest this past weekend in perfect four-for-four Good Cheer, the Darley mainstay and ageless wonder continues to amaze and delight. "It's so gratifying for him in the autumn of his career to be hitting these heights," said Darley's Darren Fox. "He's been...

Nyquist will stand the 2025 season at Jonabell Farm for $175,000, Darley announced Sunday. The son of Uncle Mo, who stood last year for $85,000, sired his second GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Saturday when Immersive capped an undefeated four-for-four season. "When you speak of the best stallions right now in North America, Nyquist has to be in that conversation," said Darley America Sales Manager Darren Fox. "His progeny reflect amazing versatility: short, long, dirt and turf. It really doesn't matter the surface or distance. His best books are...

Darley America has released its fee schedule for its stallion roster and leading the way is Medaglia d'Oro (El Prado {Ire}) at $75,000, while the amount for Nyquist (Uncle Mo) will be named after this year's Breeders' Cup, according to Jonabell Farm's management in a Wednesday presser. After Medaglia d'Oro, Horse of the Year Cody's Wish (Curlin) is tabbed at $65,000, while multiple Eclipse champion Essential Quality (Tapit) and sire of sires Street Sense (Street Cry {Ire}) both come in at $50,000. "The 2024 breeding season was one of our...

Unless you've been under a rock recently, you are well aware Darley's Nyquist has been the buzz horse the last few weeks. It's for good reason. Just two Grade I races for 2-year-old fillies on dirt have been contested in North America so far this year, the Aug. 31 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga and the Sept. 7 Del Mar Debutante Stakes in California. Daughters of Nyquist--Immersive and Tenma--won both. Logically, success on the track should beget success in the sales ring. No where was that more evident than at the...

After playing a starring role in a story that the racing world--and many circles outside the equine industry--will not soon forget, Cody's Wish will now work toward cementing his legacy as he takes up stud duty at Darley's Jonabell Farm. With a $75,000 initial fee, the son of Curlin is the priciest newcomer to join the Kentucky stallion ranks this year, but also the only one to boast five Grade I victories. His resume is further enhanced by a Grade I-winning dam--a distinction that only one other incoming stallion can...

Speaker's Corner (Street Sense - Tyburn Brook, by Bernardini) and Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper - Music Note, by A.P. Indy), both Grade I-winning homebreds for Godolphin, have joined the Darley America stallion roster for 2023. The newcomers hail from impressive Godolphin families. Speaker's Corner, who will command an initial stud fee of $20,000, is out of a daughter of GI Breeders' Cup Distaff victress Round Pond (Awesome Again), while Mystic Guide, a 'TDN Rising Star' who will stand for $15,000, is a son of five-time Grade I winner Music Note. "We...

Perennial top sire Medaglia d'Oro once again heads Darley's Jonabell Farm roster for 2023 with his fee remaining at $100,000, the same amount as 2022. Darley has also added two new stallions to the now-11 horse roster, including G1SW Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) and GISW Speaker's Corner (Street Sense). Mystic Guide, who won the 2021 G1 Dubai World Cup, was retired earlier this year. He will stand for a fee of $15,000 in his initial season at stud. Speaker's Corner, a Godolphin homebred out of Tyburn Brook (Bernardini) who is bred...

'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit--Delightful Quality, by  Elusive Quality), a leading Eclipse Award finalist for champion 3-year-old colt, heads to the breeding shed with an impressive line-up of mares for his first season at stud at Darley's Jonabell Farm in Kentucky. The 2020 champion 2-year-old colt and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner continued to add to his loaded resume at three, capturing the GI Belmont S. and GI Runhappy Travers S. He concluded his career with a third-place finish against his elders in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. The...

Just a three-mile jaunt from Brendan Walsh's barn at Keeneland, the conditioner's first Grade I winner Maxfield (Street Sense - Velvety, by Bernardini) is settling into his new home at the stud barn of Darley's Jonabell Farm. Three weeks ago, the Godolphin homebred ended his career on a high note with a final victory in the GI Clark S. at Churchill Downs. Walsh, who had hopped  on a plane shortly after the win to visit his Florida division, had not seen Maxfield since that night. So when he dropped in...

It was a blustery autumn day last week when champion Essential Quality (Tapit - Delightful Quality, by Elusive Quality) stepped out of his new stall in Darley's eminent stud barn to make his paces in front of onlooking breeders for his first stallion show, but the regally-bred grey didn't so much as bat an eye as the winds picked up and the surrounding crowd grew thicker. "I think what has been evident about Essential Quality from the get-go has been his class and his mind," said Darley's Sales Manager Darren...

Essential Quality (Tapit--Delightful Quality, by Elusive Quality), last year's champion 2-year-old and winner of this year's GI Belmont S. and GI Runhappy Travers S., will begin his stud career next year at a fee of $75,000, Darley in America announced Sunday. Essential Quality concluded his racing career with a third-place effort in Saturday's GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. "His body of work is just tremendous: an Eclipse champion at two, a Classic winner at three, a son of Tapit with a fantastic female family," said Darley Sales Manager Darren Fox....

"He's technically full," said Darley America sales manager Darren Fox the other day, discussing Gl Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense (Street Cry {Ire}), who's standing this year for $60,000, down from $75,000 in 2020. "If you had a nice mare, there's a couple of spots that mares haven't been named yet. We keep him at around 140 mares. He was very hard to manage the demand, especially last year at 75, and he's 60 now, but that's because of overall market conditions. It wasn't a reflection of cooling off on...