Vekoma brings Met Mile credentials to stud

The Metropolitan Handicap has a history of being a stallion-making event because it showcases brilliance that is so desired in the American market in a top-class, competitive race. Vekoma will become the latest winner of the historic event to stand at Spendthrift Farm, and, with a pedigree that sports several successful sires, he has solid credentials to become a top sire himself.

Millionaire Vekoma also won the Grade 2 Nashua Stakes as a juvenile, the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes last year, and the Grade 1 Carter Handicap this year. He is a son of perennial leading sire Candy Ride, whose sons at stud include the consistent and versatile sire Twirling Candy, as well as his 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner, whose first yearlings were well received commercially.

Vekoma is out of the Grade 1-winning Speightstown mare Mona de Momma. Her dam, Society Gal, is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner and successful sire Mr. Greeley. Society Gal and Mr. Greeley’s half-siblings include Majestic Legend, whose winning daughter Bedazzle produced Kentucky Derby winner and Eclipse Award champion juvenile Street Sense, now a successful sire in his own right. Vekoma also is from the extended female family of international sire Danehill Dancer, a Group 1 winner in Ireland, where he was a leading sire and broodmare sire. Danehill Dancer also was a leading sire in Hong Kong.

The Met Mile has been won through its 127-year history by prominent stallions such as Tom Fool (1953), Native Dancer (1954), and Buckpasser (1967). A Grade 1 race since the North American graded stakes system began in 1973, it has been won since then by prominent sires Tentam (1973), Cox’s Ridge (1978), Fappiano (1981), and Gulch (1987-88).

More recent winners of the race include prominent active stallions Ghostzapper (2005) and Quality Road (2010). Palace Malice (2014) was among the leaders of last year’s strong freshman sire class, with Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Structor leading the way, while blooming later in that freshman class was Honor Code (2015), sire of Grade 1 winner Honor A. P. and Belmont Stakes third-place finisher Max Player.

With Vekoma joining the ranks, Spendthrift will stand three of the last four Metropolitan winners. The farm houses 2017 winner Mor Spirit and 2019 victor Mitole, who went on to earn a divisional Eclipse Award title.