American Patriot retired, will stand at Japanese farm

Grade 1 winner American Patriot has been retired and will enter stud at the international Darley operation’s Japanese farm on Hokkaido, seeking to capitalize on his international pedigree.

The son of War Front, who raced as a homebred for WinStar, will stand for a fee of 1.5 million yen, or about $13,237 U.S. at the current conversion rate.

“War Front has established himself as one of the great turf sires in the world and his progeny have already won eight Grade 1 races on turf this year alone,” Harry Sweeney, president of Darley Japan, said in a release. “American Patriot is a great-looking horse and we are really excited to have a grandson of Danzig standing at Darley Japan.”

American Patriot won the Grade 3 Kent Stakes as a 3-year-old, establishing a nine-furlong course record of 1:47.19 at Delaware Park. He finished third in the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington in his subsequent start, beaten less than a length by Beach Patrol and Long Island Sound. This year, American Patriot posted his biggest victory in the Grade 1 Maker's 46 Mile at Keeneland, running down Heart to Heart in deep stretch. He finishes his racing career with 5 wins from 14 starts and earnings of $487,272.

American Patriot will be the second son of War Front to stand in Japan, both stepping out this year as their sire's stock continues to rise internationally. It was announced this fall that The Factor, whose first foals are 3-year-olds of 2017, will stand in Japan on a one-year lease agreement before returning to Lane's End in Kentucky.

American Patriot, out of a full sister to Dubai World Cup winner Well Armed, is also from the family of two-time Japanese Horse of the Year Symboli Kris S, a perennially prominent sire.