O’Prado Again retired, to stand at Darby Dan Farm

Grade 2 winner O’Prado Again has been retired, and will begin his stallion career in 2014 at Darby Dan Farm in Lexington, Ky.

The 4-year-old son of El Prado will stand for an advertised fee of $5,000 and will participate in the farm’s Share The Upside program. Participating breeders will receive a lifetime breeding right to O’Prado Again after breeding twice to the sire - sending two mares in 2014 or one mare in both 2014 and 2015 - producing two live foals, and paying both stud fees.

“Darby Dan is thrilled to have the opportunity of offering this exciting son of El Prado in our Share The Upside program,” said Darby Dan owner John Phillips. “In my mind, O’Prado Again represents a great example of a young stallion with that big upside.”

O’Prado Again broke his maiden as a juvenile at Keeneland Race Course, then followed up with a three-quarter length score in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct. Injuries hampered his sophomore campaign, but he returned to race in the fall of 2012 and early 2013.

O’Prado Again retired with two wins in 11 races for earnings of $187,406. He was campaigned by Donegal Racing and trained by Dale Romans.

Bred in Kentucky by Highclere, O’Prado Again is out of the Pulpit mare Leh She Run, who is the dam of three winners from four foals to race. He is from the family of Grade 1 winner and sire First Samurai, as well as Grade 3 winner Sky Blue Pink.

“I’ve never seen a better-looking son of El Prado, who’s obviously proving himself as a serious sire of sires with the likes of Medaglia d’Oro and Kitten’s Joy, and O’Prado Again showed both quality and precociousness on the racetrack,” Phillips said. “We invite breeders to come out and see him. I really think they’re going to like what they see.”