Grade I winnerJustin Phillip will commence stud duties for the 2014 breeding season at a fee of $12,500, Castleton Lyons announced Nov. 3.
Trained by Steve Asmussen for Zayat Stables, 5-year-old Justin Phillip raced 32 times over a four-year career including 23 lifetime starts in graded stakes, winning or placed in 11 of them. He won the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course in August by two lengths in a fast time of 1:08.59 for six furlongs. He earned a 109 Beyer figure.
Justin Phillip ran fifth in the $1.5 million Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) Nov. 2. He was also fifth in the race last year. The son of First Samurai out of the Cryptoclearance mare Ava Knowsthecode won the grade II Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park and the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (gr, III) at Oaklawn Park and placed in the Vosburgh, Forego (both gr. I), and a previous edition of the Vanderbilt.
"We are very excited to stand Justin Phillip at Castleton Lyons and pleased to have had the opportunity to develop the next chapter in this extremely good looking colt’s career," said Shane Ryan, president of Castleton Lyons. "He has been expertly handled by Steve Asmussen and is an excellent example of a big All-American dirt horse that we hope will be well received by the breeders.
"In addition to Justin Phillip’s race record we were attracted to this stallion prospect as his pedigree is from one of the most active female families in the stud book. His dam Ava Knowsthecode has had five black type winners to date with a $1.2 million 2013 September Sales graduate to race in 2014."
Justin Phillip will be available for inspection at Castleton Lyons commencing Nov. 5 and throughout the November Sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.
