Group 1-winning two-year-old Bucanero Fuerte (GB) has been retired to stand at Tally-Ho Stud next season, owners Amo Racing announced in partnership with the County Westmeath operation on Thursday.
Bucanero Fuerte, who was bred by Gestut Zur Kuste AG from the Elusive City mare Frida La Blonde (Fr), was bought by Robson Aguiar for €165,000 at the Arqana August Yearling Sale and subsequently won four of his nine career starts for trainer Adrian Murray.
Following a successful debut at the Curragh when winning the first two-year-old race of the Irish Flat season, the son of Wootton Bassett (GB) was sent to Royal Ascot where he finished third in the G2 Coventry Stakes, before returning to the Curragh to gain the two most significant victories of his career.
After beating the subsequent GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) by a short head to win the G2 Railway Stakes, Bucanero Fuerte then made the breakthrough at the top level when winning the Phoenix Stakes by four lengths from top-class filly Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio). He also won the G3 Lacken Stakes on his return to action as a three-year-old, lowering the six-furlong track record at Naas.
“Bucanero Fuerte is a hugely important horse for Amo Racing,” said founder Kia Joorabchian. “His Group 1 win in 2023 where he dominated the Phoenix Stakes was a truly outstanding moment for us all.
“We are proud to retire him alongside King Of Steel at one of Europe's premier nurseries. As a top-class two-year-old who showed he had trained on superbly when breaking the track record at Naas on his comeback in May, we feel he has the requisite blend of qualities to excel in his new career.
“Significantly, he is the first Group 1-winning juvenile by his sire to retire to stud in Ireland and we are committed to supporting him fully on all fronts over the coming years.”
Roger O'Callaghan of Tally-Ho Stud added, “Bucanero Fuerte possessed huge class, pace and durability. Few two-year-olds are able to win on the first day of the season and then go on to Group 1 success; Bucanero Fuerte was an easy winner on both occasions, especially when scoring so emphatically over a top-class field in the Phoenix Stakes.
“We are delighted to be standing such a talented two-year-old and look forward to working with Amo Racing in supporting him strongly at stud.”
One of four winners from five runners out of Frida La Blonde, Bucanero Fuerte is a full-brother to the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye hero and first-season sire Wooded (Ire), as well as the G3 Sovereign Stakes runner-up Beat Le Bon (Fr). Frida La Blonde, in turn, is out of the Listed winner and G2 Premio Regina Elena runner-up Firm Friend (Ire) (Affirmed), whose other notable offspring include the Listed winners Fred Lalloupet (GB)–also by Elusive City–and Mon Pote Le Gitan (Thunder Gulch), both of whom were also placed at Group 3 level.
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