Pierro, champion and five-time Group 1 winner, to stand at Coolmore Australia

Pierro, Australia’s champion 2-year-old colt and a five-time Group 1 winner who was retired last week, will begin his stud career at Coolmore’s Australian division in New South Wales. His initial fee will be announced at a later date.

Pierro, a 3-year-old son of popular Darley shuttle stallion Lonhro, won his first eight career starts, including an unbeaten juvenile season in the Southern Hemisphere. Included among this string were the Golden Slipper Stakes, the Sires’ Produce Stakes, and the Champagne Stakes—which all took place in April 2012 and comprise Australia’s 2-year-old Triple Crown—as well as four other group stakes races. He won the Canterbury Stakes and the George Ryder Stakes earlier this year and finished his career with a runner-up finish in the Doncaster Mile on April 20.

“We’ve followed Pierro’s career very closely ever since he made his debut and we’re thrilled that he is joining what is already an exceptional line up of stallions,” said Coolmore Australia general manager Michael Kirwan. “No other horse since 1970 has managed to secure the 2-year-old Triple Crown while remaining undefeated through his first season, and I understand that he’s the only Triple Crown winner to go on to win two Group 1 races at weight-for-age as a 3-year-old."

Overall, Pierro won 11 of 14 starts and earned $4,690,137. He won a total of ten stakes races for leading trainer Gai Waterhouse.

“On the racetrack, Pierro provided me, my wife Donna and son Alex, with many wonderful days," owner Greg Kolivos said. "He is a champion in every sense of the word and we are now very much looking forward to a new, exciting chapter in his career.”

Pierro was bought by Waterhouse at the 2011 Magic Millions January yearling sale for about $229,000. He is out of the winning Daylami mare Miss Right Note, who is a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Laverock.