Birdstone going to Gainesway

Birdstone, the Belmont Stakes winner who ended Smarty Jones's bid for the 2004 Triple Crown, will enter stud in 2005 at Gainesway in Lexington, Ky.

A 3-year-old Grindstone colt, Birdstone will stand for $10,000, according to John Hendrickson, the husband of Birdstone's owner and breeder, Marylou Whitney. Birdstone was foaled at Gainesway.

Birdstone was retired last week after X-rays showed he had a bone chip in his left front ankle. Birdstone finished seventh in his last start, the Breeders' Cup Classic at Lone Star Park, on Oct. 30.

Hendrickson said Whitney plans to support Birdstone's stallion career by breeding some of her best mares to the colt. Birdstone is out of the Storm Bird mare Dear Birdie, who also produced last year's champion 3-year-old filly, Bird Town.

- additional reporting by David Grening