European champion Frankel gets first mare in foal

European Horse of the Year Frankel had his first mare confirmed to be pregnant over the weekend, according to a statement from Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms.

Frankel stands his first season at Juddmonte’s Barnstead Manor Stud in Newmarket, Suffolk, England for about $188,279. His first reported mare in foal is Chrysanthemum, a multiple Group 3 winner by Danehill Dancer.

Out of the winning Sadler’s Wells mare Well Spoken, Chrysanthemum won five of 12 career races, including victories in the Group 3 Park Express Stakes and C. L. Weld Park Stakes, along with a trio of listed stakes.

Group 2 winner Bated Breath, who retired to Banstead Manor this year along with fellow Juddmonte homebred Frankel, also had his first mare scanned in foal over the weekend—the winning Kyllachy mare Pretty Primo, who is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Wootton Bassett.

Banstead Manor general manager Philip Mitchell said, “Both horses are proving to be very professional and it is always good to get their first mare tested in foal.”

Frankel, a 5-year-old son of Galileo, retired after the 2012 racing season with an unblemished record from 14 starts for earnings of $4,789,144. He won ten Group 1 stakes and received the Cartier Award as Europe’s Horse of the Year in 2011 and 2012.

Frankel’s initial book of about 130 mares features some of the world’s top producers and broodmare prospects, including 2011 U.S. Broodmare of the Year Oatsee; champions Zagora, Vodka, and Stacelita; and Grade or Group 1 winners Alexander Goldrun, Alwajeeha, Danedream, Dar Re Mi, Divine Proportions, Eden’s Moon, In Lingerie, Lahudood, and Balance, who is a half-sister to champion Zenyatta. The first mare Frankel covered was multiple Grade and Group 1 winner Midday.