Stud deal to send Justify to Coolmore nears completion

Triple Crown winner Justify will begin his stud career at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky., in 2019.

WinStar Farm, which co-owns the undefeated Scat Daddy colt, confirmed on Friday that it is finalizing a deal with international outfit Coolmore, confirming information that has circulated in the bloodstock community throughout the summer. The deal is a major coup for Coolmore – not only did the operation stand Justify's sire prior to his unexpected death in 2015, it now will stand both Triple Crown winners of the 21st century. Justify joins 2015 drought-buster American Pharoah, whose first foals are yearlings.

“We look forward to standing our second Triple Crown winner at Ashford Stud,” Coolmore's M.V. Magnier said in a release. “Let’s hope he proves as good as his sire Scat Daddy.”

Justify, whose retirement was announced in July, was campaigned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, and Starlight Racing. Starlight had purchased racing rights to the colt from SF Bloodstock, which maintained breeding rights.

“After much deliberation with all the partners, we’ve decided to accept Coolmore’s offer to stand Justify,” WinStar president, CEO, and racing manager Elliott Walden said in the release. “As you can imagine, this is a bittersweet moment for all of us connected to this special horse who gave us the ultimate thrill of a lifetime. We believe strongly in Justify as a stallion and the ownership group has retained breeding rights. We look forward to supporting him at Ashford Stud.”

Justify, who was trained by Bob Baffert, won all six of his career starts in a period spanning 111 days, concluding with the Belmont Stakes on June 9, when he became the 13th American Triple Crown winner. The colt was taken out of training with filling in an ankle in July, and was officially retired later that month, as the window of time to get him back in training in time for a prep race prior to his scheduled career finale in the Breeders' Cup Classic closed. He was shipped to WinStar in Versailles, Ky., in August to let down from the racetrack.

Coolmore will later announce a stud fee for Justify, as well as plans for the specifics of his stallion career, such as if he will shuttle. His sireline has international appeal, as the versatile Scat Daddy was a leading sire in Chile and has prominent stakes performers worldwide. Last year, American Pharoah became the first American Triple Crown winner to stand in Australia, a fitting accomplishment for Coolmore. The outfit was an early pioneer in the practice of building dual-hemisphere careers for stallions, and the practice took off when its prolific sire Danehill shuttled from Ireland to Australia for the 1990 season. The concept took root with other major operations throughout that decade.

American Pharoah entered stud for an advertised fee of $200,000 in 2016 - which not only made him the most expensive incoming stallion in North America since champion Ghostzapper commanded the same in 2006, it tied him as the second-most-expensive stallion on the continent overall, behind only perennial leading sire Tapit at $300,000. It was later revealed that some breeders were sending approved mares to the stallion on a two-for-one deal as Coolmore sought to assemble a quality book for the stallion, not an uncommon practice to support a young stallion in a competitive market. American Pharoah's fee was private for both 2017 and 2018.

Scat Daddy, currently the sire of 112 stakes winners worldwide, died of a suspected cardiac event in December 2015 at the young age of 11 and as his star was still on the rise. His stud fee had been slated to rise to $100,000 for 2016, placing him among North America's elite sires, after he stood for $35,000 in what turned out to be his final season.

Not only will Justify not be competing against his sire in the market – American Pharoah's sire, Pioneerof the Nile, stands at WinStar – he has even more supply and demand economics in his favor as the most accomplished son of Scat Daddy to come to stud in North America. The late stallion's only representative in the Kentucky for 2018 was Tu Brutus, at Crestwood Farm, with a handful of other sons around the continent such as Daddy Nose Best (California), Finale (New Mexico), Handsome Mike (Florida), and Scatman (New York). The stallion also has Daddy Long Legs in Chile and El Kabeir in Ireland.

In Ireland, Coolmore stands the stallion's freshman son No Nay Never, and Caravaggio, who entered stud this year. Both are Grade/Group 1 winners. No Nay Never is already the sire of 21 winners worldwide, including Group 2 winner Land Force, Group 3 winner Ten Sovereigns, and stakes winner Servalan in Europe, and stakes winner Mae Never No in the United States.

Coolmore owns Scat Daddy's son Mendelssohn – a $3 million yearling purchase the fall following his sire's death – but has yet to finalize where it might eventually stand the 3-year-old trained by Aidan O'Brien.

"Justify was a truly exceptional racehorse," Ashford manager Dermot Ryan said in a release. "There is a reason only 13 horses have won the Triple Crown, it takes an extraordinary horse to achieve such a difficult feat.

"It is such a privilege to be around greatness, and to have the best son of the much-missed Scat Daddy standing here is fantastic," Ryan continued. "His sons have made an immediate impact at stud, and Justify has all the right credentials to continue Scat Daddy’s legacy. He is just breathtaking to look at, an outstanding individual and fantastic mover, he’s got everything you look for in a stallion."