Vekoma to stand as stallion at Spendthrift Farm
Spendthrift Farm has acquired the future breeding rights to Vekoma, who captured the Grade 1 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap last Saturday at Belmont Park.
Nicole RussoJul 07, 2020
Spendthrift Farm has acquired the future breeding rights to Vekoma, who captured the Grade 1 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap last Saturday at Belmont Park.
The Metropolitan Handicap has a history of being a stallion-making race because it showcases the brilliance that is so desired in the American market. Vekoma remained unbeaten in his 4-year-old season with a victory Saturday in the Grade 1 Runhappy Metropolitan at Belmont Park, and with a pedigree that sports several successful sires, he sports solid credentials to become a top sire himself.
As Uncle Mo moves into the next phase of his career, as a sire of sires, Outwork became the stallion's first son to sire a winner – and was swiftly followed by another.
Kentucky Derby hopeful Honor A. P. will stand at Lane's End Farm upon his eventual retirement from racing as that Kentucky stallion operation continues to build on the legacy of the late A.P. Indy.
The international Coolmore operation has acquired the breeding rights to Tiz the Law, winner of last Saturday's Belmont Stakes, and will stand the colt at its Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky., upon his eventual retirement from racing, the operation announced Thursday.
The internationally popular young stallion American Pharoah is the sire of Japan's leading Kentucky Derby contender Cafe Pharoah, who appears on Derby Watch after remaining unbeaten with a five-length win in last weekend's Group 3 Unicorn Stakes on the Tokyo Racecourse dirt.
Multiple Grade 1 winner McKinzie will stand at Gainesway in Lexington, Ky., upon his eventual retirement from racing, the farm announced Monday evening. The 5-year-old son of Street Sense is targeting the Grade 1 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap – a race with a stallion-making reputation – on July 4 at Belmont Park as he continues his campaign.
While Gamine has a long way to go before being mentioned in the same breath as Ruffian and other greats, she does share a blood link with that champion as she is inbred to her speedy half-brother Icecapade.
The 2019 freshman sire class in North America, with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah leading a bevy of champions and major winners, was lauded as a historically strong class even before its first runners hit the track. The group lived up to its billing last year, with 12 graded/group stakes winners, led by a pair of Breeders' Cup winners. Turning the corner into 2020, the class has continued to shine in major events.
Man o' War, considered by many to be the greatest racehorse of all time, won the Belmont Stakes a century ago this spring, then went on to sire three winners of America's oldest classic event. Fittingly, the broodmare sire of this year's Belmont Stakes winner is Tiznow, Man o' War's most prominent direct male-line descendant remaining at stud.