Top Florida Stallion Montbrook Pensioned

Florida stallion Montbrook has been pensioned from stud duty and will remain at J. Michael O'Farrell's Ocala Stud in Florida, where he was foaled.

Montbrook, 23, covered roughly 25 mares this breeding season, but only a few are in foal. A release said Montbrook, by Buckaroo out of the Jet Diplomacy mare Secret Papers, would be retired because of declining fertility.

"Montbrook has been a flagship stallion whose contributions have been significant, not only to Ocala Stud but also the Florida breeding industry," O'Farrell said. "We bred him, sold him as a 2-year-old, and were lucky enough to buy him back after his racing career to stand him, so he's a special horse to us.

"His fertility has reached a point that the humane thing to do is to retire him, and allow Montbrook to happily live out his life. I believe his influence on racing will continue to carry on for many years through his sons at stud and daughters in many broodmare bands around the country."

Montbrook was sold for $260,000 by breeder Ocala Stud at the Ocala Breeders' Sales' Co. 2-year-olds in training auction. The speedy colt won five of eight starts as a 3-year-old, including the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash and Riva Ridge Stakes (both gr. III); Jersey Shore Budweiser Breeders' Cup Stakes; and Hirsch Jacobs Stakes.

He was retired to stud in 1996 with earnings of $373,728.

A Florida champion sire in 2002, 2003, 2008, and 2009, Montbrook has lifetime progeny earnings of more than $42 million to date from 17 crops of racing age. He has sired 47 stakes winners, 15 graded stakes winners, four grade 1 winners, and two champions to date.

His champions are 2010 Eclipse champion sprinter and Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) winner Big Drama and 2001 Puerto Rican champion imported 3-year-old Monteration. Montbrook sired multiple session- toppers at auction including Chapel Royal, who topped the 2003 Ocala Breeders' Sales' Co. February 2-year-olds in training sale at $1.2 million.