Sovereign Farm of Ocala will stand three stallions in its initial season

A new stud farm, standing three Thoroughbred stallions, will open in 2013 near Ocala, Fla.

Sovereign Farm of Ocala, operated in partnership by Mary Beth Stanton, DVM, and Dani Dougherty, is located in Morriston, Fla. Stanton is a board certified reproductive specialist, while Dougherty will manage the stallion operation. The news was first announced by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association’s Wire to Wire.

The farm will stand Field Commission, Backtalk, and Motovato, all graded stakes winners, as its introductory roster. Millionaire and champion Field Commission enters stud in 2013, while Backtalk and Motovato stood their first seasons in 2012 at other Florida farms.

Field Commission was a multiple graded stakes winner in 2009 at Woodbine, taking both the Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes and Grade 3 Vigil Stakes. The season earned him the Sovereign Award as Canada’s champion sprinter.

The 7-year-old Service Stripe horse, who added the Ponche Handicap at Calder Race Course to his résumé earlier this year, retired with eight wins, seven seconds, and five thirds from 30 career starts for earnings of $1,030,266. Field Commission is one of four winners from as many starters out of the unraced Schossberg mare Tearfull Moment.

Backtalk, a 5-year-old son of Smarty Jones, was a multiple graded stakes winner as a juvenile for owner Gold Mark Farm, taking the Grade 2 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and the Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes at Churchill Downs in 2009. He won or placed in six other stakes races, finishing his career with four wins from 15 starts and earnings of $405,051.

Out of the stakes-winning Affirmed mare Apasionata Sonata, Backtalk is a half-brother to multiple graded stakes winner Bsharpsonata. Backtalk stood his first season in 2012 at Vinery Florida for a fee of $3,500.

Motovato, a 7-year-old Proud Citizen horse, scored his biggest win in the Grade 3 Kenny Noe Jr. Handicap at Calder in 2009. He also won four listed stakes races, finishing his career with seven wins from 22 starts and earnings of $398,869.

He is one of five winners from as many starters out of the stakes-placed Slew City Slew mare Buffalo Bird Woman. Motovato entered stud in 2012 at Stonewall Farm Ocala for a fee of $4,500.

Sovereign Farm will host a stallion show and farm introduction event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 15. Owners who commit that day to breed a mare to a Sovereign Farm stallion are eligible for special incentives.

The event will also feature a silent auction, with 100 percent of proceeds going to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.