Multiple graded-stakes winner Noble Tune, a half brother to grade II winner Honor Code , has been retired from racing and will launch his stud career later this year in South Africa when the Southern Hemisphere season begins.
Racing Post reports that the 4-year-old son of Unbridled's Song—Serena's Cat, by Storm Cat, will stand at Dr. Alan King's Rathmor Stud in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
Noble Tune has a 4-1-0 record from seven career starts, all on turf, that include wins in the 2013 American Turf Stakes (gr. IIT) at Churchill Downs and the 2012 Pilgrim Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Belmont Park prior to a runner-up finish to George Vancouver in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Park. The Kentucky-bred was trained by Chad Brown for the partnership of Martin Schwartz and breeder Dell Ridge Farm.
Noble Tune and Honor Code are the only starters produced by stakes winner Serena's Cat, a half sister to freshman sire Vocalised, a two-time group III winner who stands in Ireland. Serena's Cat is a granddaughter of 1995 champion 3-year-old filly Serena's Song, dam of group I winner Sophisticat and graded stakes winners Schramsberg, Grand Reward, and Harlington, and stakes winner Serena's Tune.
Noble Tune will command a fee of R25,000 ($2,377 in United States funds).
Winner of the 2013 Remsen Stakes (gr. II), Honor Code was a hopeful for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) earlier this year for Dell Ridge and Lane's End Racing before a slight tear in his right hind upper suspensory forced the son of A.P. Indy to the sidelines.
