In the early part of this century, stud fees for incoming Kentucky stallions were soaring. Horse of the Year Ghostzapper (Adena Springs) entered stud for $200,000 in 2006 – a debut fee it would take a decade, and a Triple Crown winner, to match – while champions Smarty Jones (Three Chimneys) and Bernardini (Darley) cashed in on their racetrack accomplishments to the tune of $100,000. But the crash and subsequent recession of late 2008 hit the Thoroughbred bloodstock and sales industry hard, and with a selective market trending toward proven stock, debut stud fees became one of the clearest markers of those effects. Two-time Horse of the Year Curlin (Lane’s End), one of the most accomplished runners of recent years, debuted for “only” $75,000, and no Kentucky stallion in the next five years debuted for more than $35,000. Arrogate, at $75,000, and Gun Runner, at $70,000, enter a market that again has warmed to new stallions. Here is a year-by-year look at Kentucky’s top incoming stud fees of the past decade. Year ... Stallion ... Farm ... Stud fee 2009 ... Curlin ... Lane’s End ... $75,000 2010 ... Zensational ... Hill ‘n’ Dale 25,000 2011 ... Blame ... Claiborne ... 35,000 2011 ... Lookin At Lucky ... Coolmore/Ashford ... 35,000 2011 ... Quality Road ... Lane’s End ... 35,000 2012 ... Uncle Mo ... Coolmore/Ashford ... 35,000 2013 ... Union Rags ... Lane’s End ... 35,000 2014 ... Animal Kingdom ... Darley ... 35,000* 2015 ... Will Take Charge ... Three Chimneys ... 30,000 2016 ... American Pharaoh ... Coolmore/Ashford ... 200,000 2017 ... Frosted ... Darley ... 50,000 2018 ... Arrogate ... Juddmonte ... 75,000 *First Kentucky season for Animal Kingdom, who entered stud the prior Southern Hemisphere season in Australia