Harness: Real Desire retired from stud duty

Brittany Stallion Management has announced that 2002 "Horse of the Year" and World Champion sire Real Desire, a stallion that Brittany has managed since he began his career in 2003, has been retired from stud duty.

The son of Life Sign-Deadly Desire stood the last 10 seasons in Indiana at Ivy Lane Farm, and prior to that at Walnridge of Pennsylvania and at Brittany's home base in Versailles, Ky. He was also a dual hemisphere stallion early on, shuttling to Alabar in New Zealand after the North American breeding season ended each year.

Real Desire has sired four millionaires and has progeny earnings of more than $76-million. His richest performers are World Champion and Canadian "Horse of the Year" State Treasurer p,1:47 ($1,908,420), FFA standout Rockin Ron p,1:47 2/5 ($1,682,058) and Tell All p,3,1:48 3/5 ($1,509,227), who was voted "3-Year-Old Pacer of the Year."

He has sired 40 racehorses with records of 1:50 or faster, 441 in 1:55 or faster and 232 that have earned $100,000 and higher in their racing careers.

His offspring remain in demand, as he continues to rank among the leading pacing sires in the Indiana program by yearling average.

"He epitomized his name," said Brittany Farm manager Art Zubrod, who, with his wife Leah Cheverie, bred Real Desire through their own Fair Island Farm. "He was an honest, consistent racehorse, and there was absolutely no quit in him. He always gave it everything he had."

That "everything" enabled Real Desire to open his career with 8 wins in 10 starts at 2 and a freshman mark of 1:50 4/5, before he became the talk of the industry with million-dollar winning seasons at both 3 and 4.

As a 3-year-old he captured the first of his two Breeders Crown championships along with the $1-million Meadowlands Pace, Hoosier Cup, and Bluegrass Stakes. At 4, in addition to his second Breeders Crown triumph, he won the U.S. Pacing Championship in his career-best 1:48 2/5 and the Canadian Pacing Derby as his career bankroll spiraled to $3,159,814.

He retired to stud at the conclusion of his 4-year-old campaign as the third-richest pacer in history.

-edited release (Brittany Stallion Management)