Girvin offspring sweep final round of FTBOA Florida Sire stakes

While breeders prepare for the arrival of the first Kentucky-sired foals by Girvin after the turn of the year, the young stallion’s Florida-bred crops continue to roll on for him.

Seminole Chief won the FTBOA Florida Sire In Reality Stakes, while Honey Dijon won the FTBOA Florida Sire My Dear Girl Stakes, giving the stallion a sweep of those $300,000 races Saturday at Gulfstream Park. He is the third stallion to sweep the two races in the same year, according to FTBOA records, joining Fortunate Prospect (1994) and Awesome of Course (2011).

Both Seminole Chief and Honey Dijon were bred in Florida by Brad and Misty Grady, who campaigned Girvin. Both race in the same colors, with Seminole Chief co-owned by David Grund. Grady’s operation is the second entity to sweep these stakes with homebreds in the same year, joining Fred Brei’s Jacks or Better Farm (2009).

Girvin entered stud at Ocala Stud in Florida, with the Gradys’ Grand Oaks Farm and Airdrie Stud of Kentucky partnering on the young stallion. With Girvin’s first crop placing him sixth on the 2022 North American freshman earnings list – the only non-Kentucky stallion to make the top 10 – he moved to Kentucky for 2023 to continue his career at Airdrie. The stallion covered 181 mares in 2023, according to The Jockey Club’s Report of Mares Bred, at an advertised fee of $25,000. His fee gets a bump to $30,000 for 2024.

The first Kentucky-sired foals by Girvin will be one of several milestones the young Airdrie Stud roster of 12 will have to look forward to in 2024. The farm will see the first runners from Grade 1 winner Complexity, whose yearlings were well received this season. The farm also will be preparing to showcase the first yearlings for Beau Liam and will anticipate the first foals from this year’s incoming stallions Happy Saver and Highly Motivated. Meanwhile, Airdrie recently welcomed Kentucky Derby winner Mage to the stallion barn and will debut him for 2024.

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