Chitu to Bridlewood Farm in Florida for 2016

Grade 3 winner Chitu will debut at stud during the 2016 breeding season at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala, Fla., for an advertised fee of $3,000.

In addition to the standard live foal contract, the 4-year-old son of Henny Hughes will be offered to breeders through the “Share the Upside” program, and breeders can pay out of sales proceeds.

Chitu won four of seven starts during his on-track career, highlighted by wins in the Grade 3 Sunland Derby and the non-graded Damascus Stakes. He also placed in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes and Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes, and competed in the 2014 Kentucky Derby. Bob Baffert trained the horse for Tamna Corporation.

“Chitu is a very exciting stallion prospect being offered with some very exciting breeder programs, courtesy of his owner, Susan Chu, who is showing a big commitment to Florida and breeding many of her own top stakes-winning mares to Chitu,” said Bridlewood Farm general manager George Isaacs. “This horse epitomizes what I picture as the ‘Baffert physical’ – big, balanced, strong and fast looking. Chitu proved that on the racetrack, and he’s one of those gorgeous, must-see individuals that breeders are going to like.

“Chitu is a great stallion prospect to introduce Florida breeders to the ‘Share the Upside’ program, which [rewards] breeders with an opportunity to realize substantial value through a free lifetime breeding right,” Isaacs added. “Breeders will also be offered another option, and that is a pay-out-of-proceeds program. The level of flexibility and value being offered makes these the most breeder-friendly programs around.”

Bred in Kentucky by Tom Evans, Macon Wilmil Equines, and Marjac Farms, Chitu is out of the winning A.P. Indy mare Sea Gift, who is the dam of five winners from six foals to race. He is from the family of Grade 2 winner Dance Parade and Grade 3-winning second dam Ocean Queen.

“Chitu could have easily won a Grade 1 race anywhere in the country, he had that Grade 1 quality about him,” Baffert said. “Physically, he’s just a specimen of a horse. What I loved about him most was his demeanor. He has a great mind to go along with that great body. I like horses that I know are going to be fast, but are also going to carry it a mile. That was Chitu.”