Ghostzapper's fee decreases

Ghostzapper, the 2004 Horse of the Year, will stand his second season at stud for $150,000, a price cut of $50,000 from his first year stud fee of $200,000, according to a release from Adena Springs in Kentucky.

Ghostzapper, who covered 111 mares in his first season at stud, according to Jockey Club records, is by Awesome Again out of the Relaunch mare Baby Zip. According to Jack Brothers, the director of breeder operations for Adena, the fee was cut this year in part because breeders whose mares were either Grade 1 performers or producers were charged $150,000 for a breeding to the horse.

"We had an approved-mare program that made it $150,000, so we thought we'd make it the same across the board," Brothers said.

Ghostzapper is one of six stallions at Adena, from a roster of nine, to have their stud fees cut for the 2007 season. So far this year, stud fee announcements have typically featured rising prices, based on strong auction sales results.

Awesome Again and El Prado will both stand in 2007 for $125,000 the same as in 2006. Congaree will also stand for the same price, $15,000, in 2007.

The fees for both Touch Gold and North Light will drop from $50,000 to $30,000, Alphabet Soup will drop from $25,000 to $15,000, and Golden Missile will drop from $25,000 to $10,000.

"We're just trying to take a very realistic approach to the market and keep our feet on the ground," Brothers said.