Secret Circle to stand at Hill ‘n’ Dale

Multiple Grade/Group 1 winner Secret Circle, who was retired over the summer, will make his debut at stud at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms in Lexington, Ky. for an advertised fee of $5,000 stands and nurses or $7,500 payable out of proceeds.

The 6-year-old son of Eddington finished his on-track career with eight wins in 16 starts for earnings of $3,670,790, highlighted by wins in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita and the Group 1 Dubai Goldan Shaheen at Meydan.

He also won the inaugural running of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint at Churchill Downs in 2011, as well as the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes and the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes. The horse finished out of the money only once over his five seasons of racing.

Bob Baffert trained Secret Circle for owners Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman.

"Secret Circle was ridiculously fast and could run horses off their feet,” Baffert said. “He is a big bodied beautiful horse and a study in great conformation. Mike, Carl, and Paul all feel they owe it to Secret Circle to support him in the same way they did Midnight Lute, a two time Breeders Cup winner as well. They look forward to breeding and buying mares that will suit him. You can't breed to a horse with his looks and race record at this price."

Bred in Kentucky by Willmott Stables, Secret Circle is out of the stakes-winning Dixieland Band mare Ragtime Hope, who is the dam of three winners from four foals to race. He is from the family of Grade 3 winners Cheshire Kitten and Really Polish.

"We are insistent that Secret Circle be ultra-competitive with all the incentive-laden programs in place for breeders,” Pegram said. “Any breeder that breeds a mare in the first two years will breed for free in his third year at stud. We think that's a lot of horse for the price."

Secret Circle will be available for inspection at Hill ‘n’ Dale’s upcoming open house starting Oct. 17.