Ghostzapper among three Adena stallions moved to Hill ‘n' Dale

Three Adena Springs stallions, led by champion Ghostzapper, will move to Hill ‘n’ Dale as part of an evolving partnership venture between the Thoroughbred farms.

Ghostzapper, a 20-year-old son of pensioned Adena Springs champion and classic sire Awesome Again; Mucho Macho Man, a 12-year-old son of Adena champion Macho Uno; and Point of Entry, a 12-year-old son of Dynaformer, will relocate about 10 minutes across Paris, Ky., to the new Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa property. Those stallions, who covered 113, 77, and 25 mares, respectively, in 2020 according to The Jockey Club’s Report of Mares Bred, represent three of the five stallions that Adena Springs stood in Kentucky this year. The farm also stood Awesome Again’s 22-year-old half-brother Macho Uno, by Holy Bull, and Ghostzapper’s 8-year-old son Shaman Ghost, whose first foals are yearlings. Plans are yet to be announced for 2021 for those two stallions, who covered six and 31 mares, respectively, this year. Adena also stood Silent Name and Silver Max at its Ontario, Canada, farm in 2020.

Hill ‘n’ Dale’s stallions were relocated from the former Hill ‘n’ Dale property near Lexington – now owned by the adjacent Don Alberto – to its new Xalapa base earlier in October. Hill ‘n’ Dale owner John Sikura first visited the Xalapa property more than a decade ago. It made a strong enough impression on him to later pursue its acquisition, and he has spent the last 18 months extensively renovating in in preparation for his operation’s move.

“I have known John since he was a young man in Canada, and his rise as a preeminent horseman is something I respect very much,” Adena founder Frank Stronach said in a release. “Anyone who has seen the work that John Sikura has done at his new facility at Xalapa will know that it was born from a respect for the land and a passion for excellence. We are partners in this venture, and I have no doubt that the great legacy of Ghostzapper will be enhanced under his care.”

Ghostzapper, whom Stronach called “the best horse we’ve bred to date,” won the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Classic to cap a Horse of the Year campaign. He was inducted into racing’s Hall of Fame in 2012. He is the sire of 12 Grade 1 winners, led by Canadian champion and classic winner and multiple Grade 1 winner Shaman Ghost and Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner and Eclipse Award champion Judy the Beauty. He is also an emerging broodmare sire, having sired the dam of Triple Crown winner Justify.

“By virtually every metric, he has proven to be a standout as a sire,” Stronach said.

Mucho Macho Man, winner of the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Classic, entered stud in 2015 and is the sire of a pair of Grade 1 winners in Mucho Gusto and Mucho Unusual. Five-time Grade 1 winner Point of Entry, who entered stud in 2014, is the sire of three graded stakes winners.

Along with plans for its remaining stallions, the future of Adena’s Kentucky property, which Stronach bought in 2005, is likely to continue to evolve. Stronach announced in October 2017 that he would put his main Kentucky farm, which houses the stallion complex, up for sale, seeking to deepen his involvement in states in which The Stronach Group, which he founded, owns racetracks. The farm has not yet been sold. Meanwhile, the parties involved in The Stronach Group, including Stronach and his daughter Belinda, have spent the past years ensnared in legal battles. In August, The Stronach Group announced that litigation between several of the parties had been dismissed by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice as a result of a settlement. Under the settlement, Belinda Stronach will continue as chairman and president of The Stronach Group, with leadership and control of the company’s racing, gaming, real estate, and related assets. Frank and Elfriede Stronach, who will no longer have any interest in The Stronach Group, will have full leadership, ownership, and control of the Stronach stallion and breeding business, including all farm operations and horses under the brand.

Meanwhile, following the three additions, Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa’s stallion roster for 2021 numbers 16 horses.

Ghostzapper joins fellow Hall of Famer Curlin at Hill ‘n’ Dale.

“He was a peerless racehorse whose breathtaking performances captured the imagination,” Sikura said of Ghostzapper. “We will support him with top mares and we expect breeders will do the same. It is an honor to stand such a great sire.”

Of the other Adena transplants, Sikura said that “the best is yet to come” with Point of Entry, while “Mucho Macho Man is a stallion that the more you study, the more you love.”