stallions

Grade I-producing sire Laoban is off to a fast start in Kentucky as he nears the completion of his first book at WinStar Farm. Meanwhile, his son Keepmeinmind, one of two graded winners for the son of Uncle Mo, readies for his bid in Saturday's GI Preakness S. "He has settled in and is doing really well," WinStar's President and CEO Elliott Walden said. "He's going to breed around 140 mares this year." The transition from Laoban's original stud farm, Sequel Stallions in New York, to WinStar was a breeze,...

Successful California-based stallion Vronsky (Danzig--Words of War, by Lord at War {Arg}), the sire of Grade I winner What A View, passed away from an apparent heart attack after successfully covering a mare at Harris Farms, according the farm's General Manager Jonny Hilvers. Vronsky was 22 years old. Bred by Arthur Hancock and Stonerside Ltd., Vronsky was a $1-million purchase out of the 2000 Keeneland September Sale and was a three-time winner at the races before entering stud in 2005 at E. W. 'Buddy' Johnston's Old English Rancho in Sanger,...

Orpen (Lure--Bonita Francita, by Devil's Bag), a leading sire in South America since his arrival on the continent in the mid-2000s, passed away Jan. 26 following emergency colic surgery, Turf Diario reports. He was 25 years old. A $525,000 Keeneland November weanling purchase in 1996, around the same time his half-brother Jules (Forty Niner) won the GIII Nashua S. in New York, Orpen annexed the 1998 G1 Prix Morny in the colors of John Magnier and entered stud in Ireland for the 2000 breeding season. Also a half-brother to SW...

The Jockeys and Jeans Great American Stallion Season Sale will once again benefit the PDJF and this year will offer both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse stallions. The auction begins Jan. 29 at 9 a.m. and ends Feb. 1 at 5 p.m on Starquine.com. A season preview will be available Jan. 28. All seasons sold, their buyers and their prices are private. All seasons are non-guaranteed and donors have the option of including a breed-back the following year if the buyer's mare does not get in foal on first cover.

The setting of new sire records in the modern era tends more than not to be a direct consequence of ever-greater book sizes. But they must still be acknowledged as legitimate breeding benchmarks as they will inevitably feature some outstanding performances. Just look at Mehmas (Ire)'s tally of first-crop 2-year-old winners this term. Currently on 56 winners, he is already 17 clear of Iffraaj's old record and in normal circumstances we might be entitled to expect his record to stand for many years. It may well do, but his strike...

Century Acres Farm, located near Hempstead, Texas, will stand Redeemed (Include--Early Mass, by Pleasant Tap) for the 2021 season. The multiple graded stakes winner previously stood at Northview Stallion Station in Maryland. Winner of the GII Brooklyn H. and GIII Greenwood Cup S. at four, as well as the GIII Discovery H. at three, Redeemed won five black-type events overall and placed in another three, including the 2012 GI Donn H. Racing in the colors of Jay Em Ess Stable for conditioner Richard Dutrow, Jr., he retired after the 2012...

"When you figure it out, let me know." Those were the parting words of a highly esteemed breeder this week, after we exchanged a few thoughts on the diminishing viability of stallions once they have covered their first book of mares. Not that "diminishing," as an adjective, is really equal to the case. I suppose you could diminish down a lift shaft, but it wouldn't be the first word that would occur to you in the time available. Spoiler alert: I haven't figured it out. But I think I know...

Spendthrift Farm announced Tuesday the reduction of stud fees for most of its current roster of stallions set to stand at the Lexington-based farm in 2021. Leading sire Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday) heads the roster at a previously announced fee of $225,000 S&N. Booked full, he represents the only stallion with an increased fee in 2021. Top sire Malibu Moon (A.P. Indy) and second-season sire Omaha Beach will both stand for $35,000 S&N. Malibu Moon stood for $60,000, while Omaha Beach stood for $45,000 in 2020. Fellow second-season sire Vino...

The Jockey Club (TJC) released breeding statistics Monday, which indicate that the 2020 North American foal crop will be about 20,500, a 3.4% decrease from the prior year. A total of 1,552 North American stallions covered 31,198 mares in 2019. The matings have resulted in 19,677 live foals of 2020, a figure that is 3.4% lower than the one reported at this time last year. Through Sept. 29, the number of live foals reported is estimated to be approximately 85-90% complete. The number of stallions declined 4.8% from the 1,630...

Sean Tugel, who served WinStar Farm as its director of bloodstock services and assistant racing manager for the last decade, and Lakota Gibson, who spent the last five years working alongside David Ingordo in the bloodstock department at Lane's End Farm, have joined the team at Gainesway. A native of Rochester, New York, and a Lexington resident since 2004, Tugel has been named the director of stallion sales and recruitment. He has also served in management roles at Hill 'n' Dale Farm and Paul's Mill. "We're excited about adding Sean...

Desert Party (Street Cry {Ire}--Sage Cat, by Tabasco Cat), a graded/group winner at ages two, three and four, has been sold to continue his stud career in Saudi Arabia. The deal was brokered by Chad Schumer of Chad Schumer Bloodstock. Bred in Kentucky by David Smith and Steven Sinatra, Desert Party was purchased by Paul Pompa, Jr. for $425,000 at the 2007 Keeneland September sale, then watched as his pinhook prospect topped the Fasig-Tipton Calder Sale on John Ferguson's bid of $2.1 million less than six months later. Winner of...

Let's cut to the chase. The recent dictum from The Jockey Club (TJC) that North American stallions born in 2020 and forward will be limited to covering 140 mares in a calendar year is an attempt to divert mares from popular stallions to others not as in demand. It's a simplistic approach to a complex issue, and it's akin to applying a Band-Aid to a cut that requires stitches. These days, stallions that need help the most are third- and fourth-year horses and proven mid-priced bread-and-butter stallions with some age...