Stallion duties loom next year for several Breeders' Cup Classic runners

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Major farms are rolling out their stallion rosters for 2023, and they include several Breeders’ Cup candidates.

The stallion class of 2023 will include Grade 1 winners Life Is Good, Olympiad, and Happy Saver, all candidates for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 5. The Breeders’ Cup Classic might be the final ontrack appearance for those three, but Grade 1 races remain on the calendar and several retiring horses in recent years have taken a shot at the Pegasus World Cup, which falls prior to the start of breeding season.

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Olympiad is coming full circle for a stallion career at Gainesway Farm. The son of Speightstown was bred in Kentucky by Emory Hamilton, and was offered as a Keeneland September yearling by the Gainesway consignment.

“I have been a huge fan of Olympiad since selling him as a yearling in 2019,” Gainesway’s general manager Brian Graves said.

Olympiad, who races for Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable, and LNJ Foxwoods, has won five graded stakes this season, most recently the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga.

Gainesway owns a racing interest in another Classic contender in Grade 1 winner Hot Rod Charlie, campaigning the colt with Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing, and Strauss Bros Racing. Hot Rod Charlie is not on the farm’s released roster for 2023.

Multiple Grade 1 winner Life Is Good is set to retire to WinStar Farm for 2023, and as of now has the highest fee for an incoming stallion in North America at $100,000. WinStar, which campaigns the colt with China Horse Club, said that fee is subject to change after the Breeders’ Cup.

Still unknown are the plans for unbeaten and unchallenged Classic favorite Flightline, whose stallion future will be at Lane’s End Farm as the property of a syndicate. Whether he will continue to race or be retired to stud will be announced following the Classic, and he would certainly command a high fee.

“I’m sure we’ll all get together after the race that Sunday and see what everybody’s thinking,” Bill Farish of Lane’s End and Woodford Racing said this week at Keeneland. “As we’ve said all along, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. We’re enjoying the ride too much right now.”

Happy Saver, winner of the 2020 Jockey Club Gold Cup, will retire to Airdrie Stud for 2023.

Spendthrift Farm will stand multiple Grade 1 winner Cyberknife, who is considered likely for the Dirt Mile but who was also pre-entered in the Classic. Spendthrift’s roster for 2023 will also include Eclipse Award champion Jackie’s Warrior, who is the early favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, his final start.

Defending Sprint winner Aloha West, who is from the family of influential stallion Fappiano, will retire to Mill Ridge Farm following his latest tilt against Jackie's Warrior in this year's edition.

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Golden Pal, will retire after his defense of the Turf Sprint, and will stand alongside his sire, Uncle Mo, at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky.

“I really look forward to what he’s going to be as a stallion,” trainer Wesley Ward said. “He’s so smart in the barn, so quick and agile. I really look forward to his babies here.”

The Coolmore group also owns an interest in Jack Christopher, pre-entered in the Sprint and Dirt Mile. He is not on the farm’s released roster for 2023.

Godolphin colorbearer Cody’s Wish will retire to the operation’s Darley in Kentucky following the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

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