Americain to stand Southern Hemisphere season at Swettenham Stud

Americain, winner of the 2010 Melbourne Cup and a member of the inaugural stallion roster under the new ownership of Brad Kelley at Calumet Farms in Lexington, Ky., will stand the 2013 Southern Hemisphere breeding season at Swettenham Stud in Nagambie, Victoria. His announced fee is $12,000 in Australian currency, or about $13,140.

The bloodstock deal was brokered by Kevin and Colleen Bamford and Gerry and Val Ryan, who campaigned Americain during his racing career in Australia and share ownership of his stallion rights with Calumet. The 8-year-old Dynaformer horse began his racing career in France and also raced briefly in the U.S., but he produced his best form in Australia during the 2010-2011 racing season. Overall, he won 11 of 34 starts and earned $5,780,679.

“Americain is a superior stayer who possesses a sensational turn of foot, and it is an honor for Swettenham Stud to be selected as the home for his debut Australian season,” Swettenham Stud director Adam Sangster told the Racing Post. “Americain is not only a striking individual, he boasts amazing bloodlines and we look forward to helping Australasian breeders achieve the ultimate in breeding a Melbourne Cup winner.”

Americain joins graded stakes winner Aikenite and stakes winner Lentenor on Calumet’s 2013 roster and will stand for a fee of $20,000. In May 2012, Thoroughbred owner-breeder Kelley purchased Calumet for about $36 million from a trust that had been established by the late Henryk de Kwiatkowski, and he moved his Hurricane Hall and Bluegrass Hall breeding and racing operations to the historic property.