Benny the Bull will shuttle to Brazil for stud duty

Vinery Florida stallion and 2008 champion sprinter Benny the Bull will shuttle to Brazil for the 2012 and 2013 Southern Hemisphere seasons under an agreement between Albatroz Bloodstock’s Renato Gameiro and the horse’s owner, Greg James.

Benny the Bull, a 9-year-old Lucky Lionel horse, will stand at Haras Santa Tereza do Bom Retiro in Rio Grande do Sul. He will return to Vinery’s Ocala, Fla., division for Northern Hemisphere breeding seasons.

“From my point of view, if you lose an Eclipse Award winner, you need to replace him with another Eclipse Award winner,” Gameiro said. “Benny the Bull is going to replace Artax. Traditionally, Brazil has been looking for stamina, but we are looking to infuse the breed with speed, and I believe Benny the Bull’s brilliance and acceleration can translate to our market.”

Artax, who was purchased in 2009 by a Brazilian partnership, stood at Santa Tereza until his death Jan. 8, 2012, at age 17 due to colic complications. He was the 1999 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner and North American sprint champion.