Pioneerof the Nile, Empire Maker share in juvenile sale spotlight

Triple Crown winner American Pharoah’s first crop is the major storyline this 2-year-old sales season, but his sire, Pioneerof the Nile, and grandsire, Empire Maker, also figure to play a role at the top end of the market.

Pioneerof the Nile, who stands at WinStar Farm, garnered an outstanding book of mares in 2016 as a result of American Pharoah’s Triple Crown sweep the prior season. The resulting foals are now juveniles coming to sale. Meanwhile, Empire Maker was repatriated from Japan for that 2016 season, owing in large part to the success of his sons and grandsons. Now standing at Gainesway, he will have a full crop of juveniles racing in his native country for the first time in years.

Pioneerof the Nile’s advertised stud fee was $125,000 in 2016 – more than double his 2015 mark of $60,000. From those resulting foals, his yearling average in 2018 was a career-high $352,465. The stallion will kick off his sales season with a single juvenile at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March sale of 2-year-olds in training, that being a half-brother to Grade 1 winner My Conquestadory. He has three representatives in the catalog for the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream selected sale later in the month.

Empire Maker, who won the 2003 Belmont Stakes, entered stud for owner-breeder Juddmonte Farms in Kentucky in 2004. The son of Unbridled was later sold to stand in Japan for several years beginning with the 2011 season. In September 2015, Gainesway announced that it had partnered with Don Alberto Corp. to purchase the stallion. He stood for $100,000 in his return season, and the resulting yearlings averaged $316,531 last year.

Empire Maker has three juveniles cataloged at OBS March, including a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Belle Gallantey, who also is from the family of champion and leading money-winner Arrogate. The stallion’s lone representative at the Gulfstream sale is a colt out of Grade 1 winner Diplomat Lady.