Benny the Bull to Winding Oaks in 2013

Champion sprinter Benny the Bull will stand the 2013 breeding season at Eugene Melnyk’s Winding Oaks Farm in Ocala for an advertised fee of $2,500 live foal.

The 9-year-old Lucky Lionel horse moves from Vinery Florida in Summerfield, where he stood for $2,000 in 2012. His first foals will be 2-year-olds of 2013. Benny the Bull will arrive at Winding Oaks before the end of December after returning from Brazil, where he stood the Southern Hemisphere season at Haras Santa Teresa.

“Mr. Melnyk is excited to have champion Benny the Bull stand at his farm,” Winding Oaks manager Phil Hronec said. “He is the first outside stallion we’ve taken here. We are planning to breed some of our own mares to Benny the Bull next year.”

Benny the Bull was undefeated in four starts during 2008 to earn the Eclipse Award as champion sprinter. He won the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, the Grade 2 True North Handicap and Smile Sprint Handicap, and the Sunshine Millions Sprint Stakes that season, and also captured the Grade 1 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash in 2007. Overall, Benny the Bull won nine times from 20 starts and earned $2,353,430.

Bred in Florida by Tomoka Farms, Benny the Bull is out of the stakes-winning Birdonthewire mare Comet Cat. He was a $38,000 purchase at the Keeneland September yearling sale by Greg James, who raced him early in his career before selling a controlling interest to IEAH Stable. James re-acquired Benny the Bull after his retirement from racing in 2009.