Market for new stallions warming up

In the early part of this century, stud fees for incoming Kentucky stallions were soaring. Horse of the Year Ghostzapper (Adena Springs) entered stud for $200,000 in 2006 – a debut fee it would take a decade, and a Triple Crown winner, to match – while champions Smarty Jones (Three Chimneys) and Bernardini (Darley) cashed in on their racetrack accomplishments to the tune of $100,000.

But the crash and subsequent recession of late 2008 hit the Thoroughbred bloodstock and sales industry hard, and with a selective market trending toward proven stock, debut stud fees became one of the clearest markers of those effects. Two-time Horse of the Year Curlin (Lane’s End), one of the most accomplished runners of recent years, debuted for “only” $75,000, and no Kentucky stallion in the next five years debuted for more than $35,000.

Arrogate, at $75,000, and Gun Runner, at $70,000, enter a market that again has warmed to new stallions. Here is a year-by-year look at Kentucky’s top incoming stud fees of the past decade.

Year ... Stallion ... Farm ... Stud fee

2009 ... Curlin ... Lane’s End ... $75,000

2010 ... Zensational ... Hill ‘n’ Dale 25,000

2011 ... Blame ... Claiborne ... 35,000

2011 ... Lookin At Lucky ... Coolmore/Ashford ... 35,000

2011 ... Quality Road ... Lane’s End ... 35,000

2012 ... Uncle Mo ... Coolmore/Ashford ... 35,000

2013 ... Union Rags ... Lane’s End ... 35,000

2014 ... Animal Kingdom ... Darley ... 35,000*

2015 ... Will Take Charge ... Three Chimneys ... 30,000

2016 ... American Pharaoh ... Coolmore/Ashford ... 200,000

2017 ... Frosted ... Darley ... 50,000

2018 ... Arrogate ... Juddmonte ... 75,000

*First Kentucky season for Animal Kingdom, who entered stud the prior Southern Hemisphere season in Australia