Pioneerof the Nile's stud fee reduced to $110,000

Pioneerof the Nile, the sire of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, will stand for $110,000 to lead the expanded WinStar Farm stallion roster in 2017, the operation announced Saturday.

The fee for Pioneerof the Nile, who entered stud in 2010, represents a slight decrease from last breeding season, when the stallion stood for $125,000, more than double his 2015 fee of $60,000. He is led on the track this year by Grade 1 winners Classic Empire and Midnight Storm.

Pioneerof the Nile will be one of two established stallions standing for a six-figure fee at WinStar next year, along with stalwart Speightstown, whose fee remains unchanged at $100,000. Other stallions on the roster include prominent stakes sire Distorted Humor at $80,000, down from $100,000 this past season; and two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Tiznow and popular shuttle sire More Than Ready, both at $60,000. Tiznow’s fee is unchanged, while More Than Ready got a $10,000 boost.

WinStar Farm continues to expand by investing in young stallions, and the farm is up to 22 stallions for 2017, including three newcomers. Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator, who also won the Santa Anita Derby and Haskell Invitational, will debut at $30,000. Grade 1 winner Outwork will stand for $15,000, and Grade 3 winner Speightster will stand for $10,000 in their first seasons.

Current freshman sires on the roster – those with their first 2-year-olds this year – are led by Gemologist, who ranks third on the freshman sire list with Grade 1 winner Yellow Agate and Grade 3 winner Theory on the track this year. As a result, he will stand for $25,000 in 2017, up from $15,000.

The WinStar roster is completed by its Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, the sire of champion Runhappy, at $50,000; Bodemeister, Carpe Diem, and Constitution, all at $25,000; Congrats and Paynter at $20,000; Take Charge Indy at $15,000; Artie Schiller, Fed Biz, and Overanalyze at $10,000; and Commissioner, Daredevil, and Revolutionary, all at $7,500.

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