Arriving fashionably late to stallion ranks not necessarily a bad thing

It’s typically known in the fall which stallions will be retiring for the upcoming breeding season, with the Breeders’ Cup marking an unofficial end to the campaign for many. The several months between retirement announcements and the start of the breeding season allows potential breeders time to inspect the stallion prospects, to do bloodstock research, and to plan matings for their mares – or to acquire mares during the mixed-sale season for specific stallions.

On the other side of the coin, the lead time allows stud farms plenty of time to assemble the best book of mares possible to get a new stallion off on the right foot in a highly competitive marketplace. Even in the case of top-flight runners making their final start in the Pegasus World Cup in late January, weeks before the season begins, their impending retirements are typically discussed well in advance. That was the case with 2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and Horse of the Year Knicks Go, who finished second in the Pegasus on Jan. 29 before boarding a van for Taylor Made Stallions in Kentucky the next day.

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But with Thoroughbreds, plans can often change in a hurry. An unexpected retirement can put a horse behind the eight ball in the process of securing a stud deal, attracting breeders, and assembling a strong book of mares. That is the case for more than two dozen stallions debuting in North America this season whose retirements were announced after Dec. 1 – some well after that.

“We didn’t make some of the paper publications,” Helen Barbazon said of marketing Grade 2 winner Rushie, one of three first-year stallions at Pleasant Acres in Florida for 2022. The young stallion’s retirement was announced in mid-January, two months after Pleasant Acres had released the rest of its roster and stud fees. “But these days, a lot of people are online. We are focusing on pushing him out on there and on social media.”

Poor timing has left one of the biggest free agents on the stallion market in Preakness Stakes winner Rombauer waiting to start his stud career until 2023. Rombauer was expected to return to racing as a 4-year-old this year, but ankle issues forced his retirement, which was announced Jan. 3. That put him in a difficult position timing-wise, with breeding sheds opening around Valentine’s Day or slightly earlier. Spendthrift Farm, which stands the nation’s leading sire Into Mischief and is introducing five newcomers this season, opened its shed Feb. 10. A stud deal has not yet been put together for Rombauer, and he will await next season in the hopes of a stronger start to his career, which is expected to come in the major Kentucky market.

“It will give him a way better chance to succeed,” said John Fradkin, who bred and owns the colt with his wife, Diane. “The first crop is critical, as you know, and it needs to be a big one.”

There are two stallions in Kentucky whose retirements were announced in December, slightly later than their peers. Both are certain to get support from their owners to help them kick off their careers.

Beau Liam, by Liam’s Map, won 3 of 4 career starts, all for owner and breeder Stonestreet Farm, posting Beyer Speed Figures of 107 and 106 against allowance company. He was second in the Grade 3 Ack Ack against older horses before being forced into early retirement. He will stand at Airdrie Stud, which typically supports its newcomers strongly from its own broodmare band, in partnership with Stonestreet, which has one of the deepest broodmare bands in the country, and Spendthrift, which also will send mares.

“There is no shortage of important stallions with a similar race record to this horse, and their unifying characteristic has almost always been brilliant ability,” Airdrie’s Bret Jones said. “We have been given a tremendous opportunity by Barbara Banke and the great team at Spendthrift Farm to stand this horse, and we will be supporting him heavily to ensure he has the opportunity we all believe he deserves.”

Gary Broad purchased Walmac Farm in 2018 and is now launching his stallion division with Core Beliefs. He purchased the Quality Road horse as a 2-year-old and campaigned him to a pair of graded stakes wins.

“We’re excited about resurrecting historic Walmac Farm,” Broad said in a press release. “We have been working hard the last two years making improvements to Walmac, and the timing is perfect to launch the stallion operation with Core Beliefs, a horse that we really believe in.”

Other noteworthy runners whose retirements were announced late are Grade 1 winner Halladay at Harris Farms in California; Grade 1 winner Mo Forza at Rancho San Miguel in California; Grade 1 winner No Parole at Whispering Oaks in Louisiana; Grade 2 winner Big Runnuer at Bg Thoroughbred Farm in California; Grade 2 winner Sombeyay at Swifty Farms in Indiana; Grade 3 winner Strike Power at Red River Farms in Louisiana; and Grade 3 winner Uncle Chuck at Journeyman Stud in Florida.

Placing a horse in the right market is key to getting him off on a good foot. In the case of the aforementioned Rushie at Pleasant Acres, he scored his biggest win in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile, showing the miler speed that is prized in American racing and breeding. That speed can, in particular, make a horse a standout in the Florida marketplace, which values precocity.

“He had very good speed,” Barbazon said. “He broke on top in almost all his races. He was precocious, he finished hard. Every race he gave it all he had.

“I believe his pedigree’s right,” Barbazon continued of the son of Liam’s Map. “We all know Florida loves speed. He’s gonna be just fine, I think.”

There was no trouble deciding where Grade 1-winning sprinter No Parole would stand. The horse was bred in Louisiana by Coteau Grove Farms, which announced in December in a joint press release with Whispering Oaks that they had purchased the horse to stand him in the state of his birth.

“We had many generous offers on this horse, but it was my preference to see him go back to his breeders,” co-owner Maggi Moss said. “I know they will take care of him, give him every opportunity at stud, and give him a great life.”