Macho Uno among stallions hitting the road

No doubt about it, there has been a great deal of relocation going on in Florida's stallion roster for the 2008 breeding season. Among those with significant roster changes is Frank Stronach's Adena Springs South as well as the Vinery, which has added several stallions who had previously stood nearby.

Adena Springs South will stand nine stallions in '08 - three more than this past breeding season. Gone to Adena Springs's Kentucky operation is the freshman stallion Macho Uno. Considering his solid start as a sire this year, Macho Uno, the 2000 Eclipse champion juvenile male, was predicted to be getting his traveling orders. It was not lack of local support that prompted his departure, as he was bred to 95 mares at an advertised fee of $12,500. He will stand in Kentucky for $20,000.

Adena Springs South's newcomers include the well-known and established Alphabet Soup, whose fee in '08 drops to $10,000 from $15,000. The newcomer Wilko, the '04 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, will stand for $10,000. Aristocrat, a winning full brother to the 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, enters stud for $5,000.

Moving down from Adena Springs in Kentucky is Olmodavor, a 9-year-old graded stakes winner of $706,540. This son of A.P. Indy-Corrazona, by El Gran Senor, will have his first crop at the races next year. He was bred to 46 mares this year.

The Vinery has doubled its roster for '08. Being added are the former Cloverleaf Farm II stallions Alke, Congrats, Pomeroy, and Repent. Alke, by Grand Slam, served 92 mares this year and he will stand for $4,000. Congrats, by A.P. Indy, served 172 mares, the most by any stallion in Florida for 2007, and his fee remains at $12,500. Repent, by Louis Quatorze, holds steady with a $5,000 fee. He was bred to 68 mares in '07.

The Vinery is reducing the fees of several stallions, including Pomeroy, by Boundary, who served 150 mares this year. Pomeroy's fee goes from $12,500 to $10,000. Fire Slam, by Grand Slam, served 39 mares this year, and his fee dips from $6,000 to $4,000. Trust N Luck, by Montbrook, served 33 mares, and his fee drops from $5,000 to $3,500. Peace Rules, by Jules, served 85 mares and has a fee reduction from $15,000 to $12,500.

Sabre d'Argent heads to Bridlewood

Bridlewood Farm is the new home of the Kris S. stallion Sabre d'Argent. He stood his first season this year at Double Diamond Farm. Sabre d'Argent was a Grade 3 winner in England and is a half-brother to the former Padua Stable resident sire Exchange Rate.

"Call it a consolidation move," said Bill Murphy, the managing partner for Sabre d'Argent. "I have developed an ongoing relationship with Bridlewood Farm manager George Isaacs, and Sabre d'Argent joins the syndicated stallions Act of Duty and Great Pyramid, whom we are standing at Bridlewood."

Sabre d'Argent served 51 mares in 2007. Act of Duty, a half-brother to Northern Afleet, served 62 mares this year in his second season, and Great Pyramid had a book of 30 in his second season.

Great Pyramid, who raced for most of his career overseas, is by Danehill and a full brother to the European champion miler and stallion Rock of Gibraltar.

When Murphy was asked if he were disappointed with the breeders' response to Great Pyramid, Murphy lit up and responded with a, "Hell no, I am not disappointed."

"This is Florida," he said, "and it's not easy to stand a horse with a foreign race record and a mostly foreign pedigree, no matter how strong his pedigree is."

There are no changes in stud fees for the Murphy trio of stallions. Act of Duty stays at $5,000, Sabre d'Argent stays at $5,000 and Great Pyramid at $2,500.