Darley has announced that Godolphin's grade I-winning homebred Emcee has been retired and will enter stud in 2014 at Becky Thomas' Sequel Stallions in New York near Hudson, while Girolamo will relocate to Darley's Jonabell Farm near Lexington.
The two stallions' 2014 stud fees will be announced at a later date.
After winning his first two starts by wide margins, a game Emcee finished third by a length in the six-furlong Tom Fool Handicap (gr. III), and then went on to contend in the 2012 Carter Handicap, Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, Forego Handicap, and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (all gr. I). Finishing fourth in the Carter, he then ran a close third in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt, followed by a 4 1/2-length triumph in the Forego.
The latter performance earned him a 108 Beyer. His seven-furlong time of 1:21 flat equaled the decades-old stakes record and came within a whisker of Saratoga's track record. Emcee surpassed the 100 Beyer mark in five of his eight career starts.
A son of Unbridled's Song, Emcee is a half brother to stakes winner Spring Party (by Smart Strike). Bred in Kentucky, he is out of the winning Ocean Crest mare Surf Club, a half sister to grade I winner Awesome Humor.
The 5-year-old Darley homebred will stand alongside fellow Darley stallion Desert Party at Sequel Stallions.
"Emcee is a horse that will generate a large amount of interest as a stallion," said Charlie Boden, Darley's head of sales in America, in a release. "He proved himself on the tough New York circuit, highlighted by his Forego win, and he's out of a multiple stakes-producing, Northern Dancer-line mare. When you add in his great conformation, he becomes the complete package of a horse that breeders are looking for in a sire of the future."
Girolamo, a grade I-winning son of A.P. Indy—Get Lucky, by Mr. Prospector, will relocate to Jonabell Farm after standing the last three seasons at Sequel.
"The nature of the New York breeding program has made it easy to move horses around," said Boden. "Desert Party and Girolamo have been popular with breeders in New York and the program ensures breeders will continue to reap rewards even if a stallion moves, like with Girolamo next year. I am also sure Kentucky breeders will enjoy having Girolamo at Jonabell for the first time."
