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International Stud News

3 minute read

Stallion movements and retirements for the 2020 northern hemisphere breeding season.

Champion US sire Awesome Again has been pensioned from stud duty at the age of 25.

Frank Stronach's Adena Springs announced that the son of Deputy Minister had been retired after serving select books of mares for a private fee in recent years.

"He is still my signature horse and will continue to be treated like the champion he is," said Bill Drury, Adena Springs Kentucky stallion manager.

Canadian owned and trained Awesome Again won the Queen's Plate, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, in just his third start and then raced at Saratoga winning the G2 Jim Dandy Stakes and finishing third in the G1 Travers Stakes.

The following season Awesome Again won all six of his starts including G1 triumphs in the Whitney Handicap and the Breeders' Cup Classic where he defeated dual classic winner Silver Charm, Horse of the Year Skip Away, Belmont Stakes winners Touch Gold and Victory Gallop, and G1 winners Arch, Coronado's Quest, Gentlemen and Swain.

"I don't think you'll ever see as strong a field that he beat in 1998 in the Breeders' Cup Classic with eight Grade 1 winners and six of those multiple Grade 1 winners," Drury said.

Awesome Again is the sire of 72 stakes winners with his progeny earning more than $US95 million led by the 2004 US Horse of the Year Ghostzapper who won nine oif his 11 starts including the Breeders' Cup Classic.

His other G1 stars have included Breeders' Cup Distaff winner and Eclipse Award champion Ginger Punch; Preakness Stakes winner Oxbow; Belmont Stakes winner Sir Winston; Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Wilko; Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Round Pond; Paynter; Bravazo, Awesome Gem, Daaher, Dubai Escapade, Game On Dude, Spun Sugar and Toccet.

Ghostzapper is also standing at Adena Springs and is the sire of G1 winners Shaman Ghost; Holy Helena; Hunters Bay, Better Lucky, Guarana, Molly Morgan, Moreno, Paulassilverlining, Stately Victor and Za Approval.

Crystal Ocean
Crystal Ocean Picture: Pat Healy Photography

+ Coolmore have acquired the recently retired G1 winner Crystal Ocean, a son of Sea The Stars, for National Hunt service at The Beeches Stud in Ireland in 2020.

The Sir Evelyn de Rothschild-owned colt, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, never finished out of the frame in 17 starts before injury forced him into retirement.

He won the G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot this year before losing the 'race of the year' by a neck to Enable in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in July and the Juddmonte International at York in August by a head to Coolmore's own Japan.

"We've been lucky enough to get some great horses over the years, but Crystal Ocean could be the best of the lot," said The Beeches Stud manager Bobby McCarthy.

"He's a great outcross option for the many good mares from the Sadler's Wells line."

+ Florida Derby winner Audible, a son of Into Mischief, has been retired to stand at WinStar Farm in 2020.

The Todd Pletcher-trained Audible, $US500,000 yearling, raced for WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Starlight Racing and Head of Plains Partners, earning $US2,130,520 from five wins in 10 starts.

Audible
Audible Picture: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

+ Group 2 winner Land Force will be the first son of leading young sire No Nay Never to join the stallion ranks.

Highclere Stud will stand last season's G2 Richmond Stakes winner from 2020.

The former Aidan O'Brien-trained colt raced once in Australia under the name of King Of Yulong for trainers Peter and Paul Snowden before suffering an injury that forced his early retirement.

Highlcere's Jake Warren said: "We're big fans of No Nay Never and believe Land Force's incredible precocity, form, good looks and outstanding pedigree give him an excellent chance of producing high-class two-year olds."

His first season fee will be announced at a later date.

+ Last year's Caulfield Cup winner Best Solution has been retired with Godolphin yet to be announce stud plans for the son of Kodiac.

A triple G1 winner in Germany and Australia, Best Solution won Pattern races ast a two, three and four-year-old for Saeed bin Sujroor.

Best Solution
Best Solution Picture: (Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)

+ Eqtidaar, a Group One winner at Royal Ascot, has been retired and will start his stallion career at Nunnery Stud in the UK next year.

Sir Michael Stoute trained the Shadwell-owned colt by Invincible Spirit to win the G1 Commonwealth Cup, a sprint that has become a stallion-making race.

+ Royal Ascot winner Le Brivido, a son of Siyouni who won the G2 Jersey Stakes in 2017, will stand at Overbury Stud in 2020.

Coolmore part-owned the entire with Prince Faisal bin Khaled Al Saud and will retain its interest in him.

Bought at Arqana as a juvenile for €105,000, he was first trained in France by Andre Fabre and later by Aidan O'Brien.

+ Teofilo's noted G1 winner Arod, a Cox Plate runner behind Winx in 2015, will be standing at stud in India in 2020.

A G1 Summer Mile winner and placed in the G1 Sussex Stakes when trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam, Arod later returned to Australia for a stint with Chris Waller when he was placed in several Group events.

Arod is to stand at Sans Craintes Stud in Tamil Nadu in southern India.


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