Darley's 2014 American roster will be led by three of the world's best stallions: Street Cry (IRE), who is acquiring a reputation as a sire of sires with Street Sense , Street Boss and Street Hero all siring grade I winners in 2013; Bernardini , who has sired three grade I winners in 2013; and perennial source of quality and versatility, Medaglia d'Oro .
All three will stand for a fee of $100,000. This reflects only a change in stud fee for Bernardini, who stood for $150,000 last year.
Street Cry is the sire of top 2-year-old New Year's Day , who won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park last weekend. In doing so he became Street Cry's second Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, following fellow Darley stallion Street Sense.
Eclipse champion juvenile male Street Sense, who remains the only horse ever to win both the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (both gr. I), will stand for $40,000. He returns to Kentucky from a year at Darley in Japan during which time he sired grade I winners Aubby K and Sweet Reason.
Discreet Cat has had his best year yet. He had two grade I winners in 2013, Discreet Marq and Secret Compass, and is currently behind only Street Sense and Hard Spun on the leading third-crop sire list. The total number of stakes wins by Discreet Cat's progeny places him at the top of all third-year sires. Discreet Cat will stand for $20,000.
One of the most notable announcements for Darley in 2014 is that its first reverse shuttler, Australian champion sire and Horse of the Year Lonhro will be joined on the shuttle by his son, group I winner and Australia's leading first season sire, Denman. Lonhro's fee will remain at $30,000 and Denman will stand for $15,000.
Also new to Darley's stallion ranks in America is Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (UAE-I) winner Animal Kingdom . An incredibly versatile racehorse with the ability to excel on any surface, Animal Kingdom will stand for $35,000.
The third newcomer in 2014 is the recently retired grade I Forego Stakes winner, Emcee . The handsome son of Unbridled's Song, one of the fastest horses to race last year, will join Desert Party at Sequel Stallions in New York. Both will stand for $7,500. Girolamo , A.P. Indy's grade I-winning sprinter, will relocate to Darley's Jonabell Farm in Kentucky and stand for $12,500.
Charlie Boden, Darley's head of sales in America, said, "New Year's Day winning the Juvenile for Street Cry was a big thrill, and we hope he does in the Kentucky Derby what Street Sense did. The big race wins are always so rewarding and what we all strive for, whether it be the Breeders' Cup or the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I). We are lucky to have had a taste of both this year.
Boden contined, "Animal Kingdom has generated a lot of interest. Watching Wise Dan win a second Mile at Santa Anita last weekend reminded me of Animal Kingdom's battle with him last year."
Of Darley's two other new stallions for 2014, Boden added, "We can't be more excited about Denman. Lonhro has been a sell-out for the last two years so it made perfect sense to bring Denman up, too, as he's the next best thing. He is Australia's leading first-season sire and the most popular horse on our roster in Australia right now.
"Emcee is the complete package (and) is a perfect fit for New York, and we are excited Street Sense has returned. We have a lot of momentum heading into 2014 and really couldn't be more excited," he said.
2014 Stud Fees (2013 fee)
Terms: Stands and nurses
New Sires
Animal Kingdom $35,000, Jonabell Farm, KY.
Emcee $7,500, Sequel Stallions, N.Y.
Jonabell Farm, Kentucky
Bernardini $100,000 ($150,000)
Medaglia d'Oro $100,000 ($100,000)
Street Cry (IRE) $100,000 ($100,000)
Elusive Quality $50,000 ($50,000)
Street Sense $40,000 (Aus$16,500/$53,500 Japan)
Lonhro $30,000 ($30,000)
Discreet Cat $20,000 ($12,500)
Denman $15,000 (Aus$27,500)
Girolamo $12,500 ($15,000)
Street Boss $10,000 ($10,000)
Midshipman $7,500 ($10,000)
Regal Ransom $6,000 ($7,500)
Sequel Stallions, New York
Desert Party $7,500 ($7,500)