Smart Strike to stand for $100,000 in 2014

Prominent sire Smart Strike will stand for $100,000 in 2014 to lead the Lane’s End roster, which was unveiled Wednesday.

The 21-year-old Mr. Prospector horse, who stood for $85,000 in 2013, was the only horse on the Versailles, Ky., farm’s 18-stallion roster to get a fee boost. Among the leading sires in the U.S. each of the last six years, the versatile Smart Strike is the sire of 98 stakes winners. His progeny have bankrolled more than $106.6 million, while averaging $114,508 in earnings.

Smart Strike’s top runners include two-time Horse of the Year and leading moneywinner Curlin and turf champion English Channel, both Lane’s End sires. His other standouts include juvenile champions Lookin At Lucky and My Miss Aurelia; Canadian Horse of the Year honorees Soaring Free and Never Retreat; Canadian champions Eye of the Sphynx, Portcullis, Gold Strike, and Added Edge; and Grade/Group 1 winners Fabulous Strike and Fleetstreet Dancer.

Curlin, who was represented by 2013 Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice from his first crop, will stand for an unchanged fee of $25,000 in 2014. English Channel’s fee also remains unchanged at $25,000.

The only new addition to the Lane’s End roster is Grade 1 winner Morning Line, a son of Tiznow who will begin his stallion career at $10,000.

The majority of stallions at Lane’s End will stand for unchanged fees in 2014, including Lemon Drop Kid and Union Rags, both at $35,000; Mineshaft at $30,000; City Zip and Quality Road at $25,000; The Factor at $15,000; and After Market and Shakespeare at $5,000.

Six other sires saw their fees decrease. Candy Ride’s fee drops from $40,000 to $35,000; Discreetly Mine, from $15,000 to $10,000; Twirling Candy, from $12,500 to $10,000, Langfuhr, from $10,000 to $7,500; Pleasantly Perfect, from $10,000 to $5,000; and Stephen Got Even, from $7,500 to $5,000.