Mastery poised for strong start at stud
The anticipation for Mastery’s racing future came crashing down when the undefeated son of Candy Ride sustained a career-ending injury in his final victory. But the young stallion appears to also be highly anticipated as he starts his second career this month at Claiborne Farm.
Mastery, winner of the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity as a juvenile, improved his career mark to 4 for 4 by winning the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes by 6 3/4 lengths early last year. However, he was pulled up past the wire with a condylar fracture, and subsequently retired to Claiborne.
“Obviously, Mastery doesn’t need much explanation,” Claiborne’s Walter Hancock said. “He was very brilliant in his short career, but he’s an outstanding son of Candy Ride that we look forward to having.”
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Mares confirmed to be visiting Mastery in his first season are led by the stakes-placed Street Cry mare Shreik, dam of four winners from as many starters. Those include multiple graded stakes winner Paid Up Subscriber, who is by Mastery’s sire, Candy Ride, putting her in position to capitalize on a successful cross. She won the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs and, in her career finale, rolled by 32 1/2 lengths, albeit in a short field, in the Grade 3 Shuvee at Saratoga. Paid Up Subscriber’s multiple Grade 1 placings included a runner-up effort to champion Songbird, beaten just a length, in last year’s Ogden Phipps.
Also booked to Mastery this year are Grade 2 winner Distinta and Grade 3 winner Brownie Points, who bankrolled more than $950,000. Brownie Points is the dam of Grade 3 placed Synchrony and Point System, who set a course record at Laurel Park last season
Candy Ride has several young sons at stud who have sired stakes winners, and Mastery’s female family also points to stud success. He is from the immediate family of Grade 1 winner Jump Start, now a perennial leading sire in Pennsylvania, and his extended family includes prominent sire Miswaki.