Stallions on move for 2002 season

Florida's roster of resident stallions for the 2002 breeding season will list some old faces in new places, some new faces in old places, and the return of some stallions. This is an ongoing process, and the subject will again be addressed in the coming months. For starters:

Stoneriggs Farm is the new home of the graded stakes-winning Classic Cat (Storm Cat). Classic Cat stood his first season in 2001 at Sean Kelly's Wycombe House. Also going to Stoneriggs Farm is Flame Thrower ( Saint Ballado), winner of the Del Mar Futurity and the Norfolk Stakes, both Grade 2's, and the Best Pal Stakes, a Grade 3.

"Classic Cat gives Florida breeders a chance to breed to a stakes winner who could win at the classic distance," said Robert Slack of Stoneriggs Farm. "Flame Thrower was our number-one draft choice."

Classic Cat will stand for $4,000 live foal, while Flame Thrower has an $8,500 live foal fee.

Wycombe House Stud has its own newcomers. Golden Gear, among this year's leading juvenile sires, relocates for the coming breeding season and will stand for $6,000 live foal. Golden Gear is by Gulch out of Fineza, by Lypheor. Intidab relocates from Shadwell Farm (Ky.), where he entered stud for 2001.

Intidab was another one of those world travelers whose racing career began in England, moved on to the United Arab Emirates, and ultimately returned to the United States, where he won the seven-furlong True North Handicap, a Grade 2, and placed in two other graded sprints. He is by Phone Trick out of Alqwani, by Mr. Prospector, and his Florida fee is also $6,000 live foal.

John Sykes's Cloverleaf Farms II is the new home of Snuck In, a multiple grades stakes winner of $540,000. Plans are to syndicate the son of Montbrook into 40 shares with extra breeding rights for the first two seasons. The stud fee of $2,500 has been set by his syndicators, Briggs & Cromartie Bloodstock, and share prices have been set at $6,000. Montbrook is currently Florida's second leading stallion in progeny earnings.

Cloverleaf Farm II is also home to the red-hot stallions Way West and Outflanker, who is by Danzig and a close relative to A.P. Indy and Summer Squall. Outflanker is the sire of nine winners from his first crop, including the winner of the $100,000 Polly Drummond Stakes, First Again. Way West is by Gone West-Greenway, by Targowice. Western Pride is from his second crop, and the 3-year-old has won consecutively the West Virginia Derby, the Ohio Derby (a Grade 2), and the Calder Derby (Grade 3).

Stallions at Frank Stronach's Adena Springs South are subject to short notice transfer. Among those who stood at Adena Springs South and were relocated elsewhere and returned for 2002 are Friendly Lover and Birdonthewire.

Running Stag, Lite the Fuse, and Lucky Lionel are, for now, staying put. No fee has been set for Friendly Lover, who stood the 2000 season locally for $3,000 and then went to Kentucky for 2001 at $10,000. Birdonthewire, sire of last week's Robyn's Tune Stakes winner Flying Birdie, stood for $3,000 at Adena in 1999. Birdonthewire stood in Canada for 2001.