Coolmore Stallion Bluebird Pensioned

Coolmore stallion Bluebird, a Kentucky-bred champion son of Storm Bird who sired 74 stakes winners, has been retired from stallion duty at Castle Hyde Stud in County Cork in Ireland. The 20-year-old Northern Dancer grandson, who has progeny earnings of $32.2 million, will remain at the farm.

A $1.1 million Keeneland July yearling, Bluebird has sired a number of champions, mostly in the sprinter and/or miler category. A champion sprinter himself as a 3-year-old in Ireland, Bluebird is represented by such European champions as Dolphin Street, Fly to the Stars, Imprevedibile, and Lake Coniston.

Several of his runners found their way to the U.S., including Aube Indienne, winner of the Yellow Ribbon Invitational Stakes (gr. IT). Two others, Blues Traveller and Rainbow Blues, were multiple grade II turf winners in the U.S. From a stallion stint in Australia, Bluebird sired multiple champion Flitter.

Bred by Seitz-Waldman Partnership and produced from the Sir Ivor mare Ivory Dawn, Bluebird raced for the late Robert Sangster, winning four of nine starts and earning $152,063. His biggest win came in England in the group I King's Stand Stakes.
Bluebird's 58 juveniles include English group II winner Jewel In The Sand.