Darley doubling Bernardini's fee to $150K

Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum’s Darley Stud announced Thursday that it will double Bernardini’s stud fee, from $75,000 to $150,000, for the 2012 breeding season.

A Darley release explained the raise by saying Bernardini “has solidified his remarkable first-crop achievements with star 3-year-old Stay Thirsty.”

Stay Thirsty won the Travers, Jim Dandy, and Gotham this year. He also was runner-up in the Belmont Stakes and placed in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes.

Bernardini stands at Darley’s Kentucky stallion property, Jonabell Farm in Lexington. Two stallions will be new to Jonabell in 2012. They are Lonhro, who will stand for $30,000, and Regal Ransom, who will command a $7,500 fee.

Darley’s other United States stallions will have the following fees in 2012: Street Cry, $150,000; Medaglia d’Oro, $100,000; Elusive Quality, $50,000; Hard Spun and Street Sense, $40,000; Any Given Saturday, Quiet American, and Street Boss, $15,000; Discreet Cat, Henny Hughes, Midshipman, and Rockport Harbor, $12,500; and Desert Party and Holy Bull, $10,000.

Darley also recently announced it will stand Girolamo in New York at Sequel Stallions New York. The horse will enter stud next year with an initial fee of $15,000.