War Front commanded a stud fee of $250,000 in 2020 at historic Claiborne Farm, reigning as the most expensive stallion in North America. That fee will take a significant drop for 2021 – and he's not alone.
Spendthrift Farm has acquired the future breeding rights to undefeated multiple Grade 1 winner Jackie's Warrior, the early favorite for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
Grade 1 winner Gift Box has officially been retired from racing and will begin his stud career in 2021 at Lane’s End.
McKinzie, one of the top older horses of his age group his entire career, has been retired and will begin stallion duties early next year at Gainesway Farm.
Laoban won his maiden in auspicious fashion, winning the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes in the summer 2016. His son Keepmeinmind nearly pulled off a similar feat Saturday, finishing second as a maiden in the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland. But the blow of that miss was softened, as Laoban had already recorded a Grade 1 winner on opening weekend at the Lexington track, rocketing up the freshman sire chart thanks to Simply Ravishing's score in the Alcibiades.
Kitten's Joy, North America's leading living turf sire every year since 2013, is currently in a pitched battle as he chases this year's title, with the top five stallions on the earnings list separated by less than $677,000 through Saturday. Kitten's Joy clawed his way to a tenuous lead over English Channel with an outstanding Saturday, as he was represented by a pair of new stakes winners – plus a pair of stakes winners as a broodmare sire.
The Jockey Club released statistics for the 2019 breeding season and 2020 foaling season on Monday that continue to show a contracting Thoroughbred industry in North America.
Preakness Stakes heroine Swiss Skydiver is a daughter of Daredevil, who was exported to stand in Turkey. The filly has some international flair on the bottom side of her pedigree as well, as her dam Expo Gold, who will be offered at Keeneland November, is by Johannesburg, a champion on two continents who now stands in Japan.
Eclipse Award champion juvenile Game Winner, who last raced in July 2019, has officially been retired from racing and will enter stud next year at Lane’s End Farm.
Darley had two reasons to be proud after Gretzky the Great's Grade 1 victory in the Summer Stakes. Darley stands Gretzky the Great's sire, Nyquist, and the sire of the colt's dam, Bernardini, a steadily emerging broodmare sire.
