Strategic Mission headed to Gainesway

Strategic Mission, sire of Grade 2 winner Showing Up, is returning to Gainesway Farm in Lexington for the 2007 season. An 11-year-old Mr. Prospector horse, Strategic Mission began his stud career at Gainesway but has been standing at Liberty Stud in New York since 2004 under a lease deal between the farm and Strategic Mission's owners, Gainesway and Live Oak Stud. His success with such runners as Showing Up and stakes-winners Miss Savannah Rose from just 19 racing-age foals has bought him a return ticket to Gainesway.

Showing Up, trained by Barclay Tagg, is easily Strategic Mission's best runner to date. A 3-year-old, Showing Up captured the Grade 2 Lexington Stakes on the dirt at Keeneland and most recently took the Colonial Turf Cup in course-record time of 1:52.98 for 1 3/16 miles.

Strategic Mission is out of Sultry Sun, making him a half-brother to both Sultry Song and Solar Splendor. He won the Grade 3 Fort Marcy in 2001 and placed in three other graded stakes before retiring with a career record of 24-7-5-4 and $414,320 in earnings. Gainesway has said it will announce Strategic Mission's 2007 fee in the fall.