Americain to stand at Irish National Stud

Americain, a champion in Europe and Australia, will stand the 2015 breeding season at the Irish National Stud in Co. Kildare, Ireland after beginning his stallion career at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Ky., Racing Post reports.

The 10-year-old son of Dynaformer stood his first two Northern Hemisphere seasons at Brad Kelley’s Calumet Farm while also shuttling to Swettenham Stud in Australia. According to Jockey Club statistics, his first Northern Hemisphere crop, now yearlings of 2015, consists of 42 foals.

Americain competed in marquee races around the globe, running in Australia, France, Hong Kong, and the U.S. He saw his greatest success in Australia, winning the Group 1 Melbourne Cup in 2010, along with the Group 2 Sandown Classic and Moonee Valley Gold Cup and the Group 3 Geelong Cup. He was named the country’s champion stayer in 2011.

In France, Americain won the Group 2 Prix Vicomtesse Viger and Prix Kergorlay, as well as three additional stakes races. He earned Europe’s champion stayer title in 2010.

"The handsome Americain will be popular on looks alone and his first foals have his strength and quality,” said John Osborne, chief executive of Irish National Stud. "He will bring balance to our roster, which is dominated by speed influences. Americain's pedigree has class in every generation and his sire was revered in America and was a classic sire in Europe. Americain can emulate that given the support his race record deserves. Mr. Kelley will be keen to race his stock."

Bred in Kentucky by Wertheimer and Frere, Americain is out of the French Group 2-winning Arazi mare America, whose six winners from seven foals to race also includes Group 2-placed Spycrawler and stakes-placed Amarak and Last Born.

Americain’s extended family includes Grade/Group 2 winners Majorien and Guilt Trip, and Silver Grecian, and Grade/Group 3 winners Rose Bouquet and Elliptique.

"This world champion will produce champions and we want him to become a world-class sire," Kelley said.