Arrogate stud fee for 2018 set at $75,000

The stud fee for champion Arrogate has been set at $75,000 for his debut season in 2018 at Juddmonte Farms in Lexington, Ky.

The 4-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song’s initial book will be restricted to 142 mares. He will be available for inspection during the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

"Our goal is always to provide the best value to our breeders,” said Garrett O'Rourke, manager of Juddmonte's U.S. operation. “We will select the highest quality of mares to offer Arrogate the best chance to be as great a sire as he was a racehorse."

Arrogate's fee is among the highest advertised debut prices for a North American first-year stallion in recent years. Triple Crown winner American Pharoah debuted for $200,000 in 2016 at Coolmore's Ashford Stud, matching the fee Adena's Horse of the Year Ghostzapper entered stud for in 2006. Arrogate enters stud for the same fee as Curlin when he debuted in 2009. The highest advertised fee for an incoming North American stallion of 2017 was Grade 1 winner Frosted, who stood at Darley for $50,000.

Racing for Juddmonte, Arrogate won seven of 11 starts for earnings of $17,422,600, the most of any North American-bred horse in history. The Bob Baffert-trained runner’s notable wins included the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Dubai World Cup, and Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes, as well as the Grade 1 Travers Stakes.

Bred in Kentucky by Clearsky Farms, Arrogate is the first foal and first runner out of the Grade 3-placed stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Bubbler. His third dam is the champion Meadow Star, who is the pivot point for runners including Grade 1 winner Belle Gallantey and Grade 3 winner Optic Nerve.

- Additional reporting by Nicole Russo