The 2011 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) winner Midnight Interlude has been sold privately to Khushroo Dhunjibhoy's Nanoli Stud near Pune District, India, owner Arnold Zetcher confirmed Feb. 18.
The 5-year-old son of War Chant is a Kentucky homebred out of the Groom Dancer mare Midnight Kiss.
"It was important to us that he had a good home," Zetcher said. "He was a homebred, he was a great performer, and we still have his mother, so we wanted to find the right place. We got really positive feedback on the farm, it's very prominent in India and we're quite comfortable with it."
Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Midnight Interlude posted a 3-2-1 record from 13 starts for earnings of $769,232. He won the Santa Anita Derby in his fourth start and finished 16th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) that year. He then was 13th in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Baffert brought Midnight Interlude back to California after his Triple Crown Classics bids to win the Tsunami Slew Stakes on turf at Betfair Hollywood Park. He was second by a nose in the 2012 Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT) and last raced Oct. 6, finishing fifth in the Arroyo Seco Mile Stakes (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Park.
Midnight Interlude was offered at the Barretts January mixed sale in California on Jan. 22, but was a $47,000 RNA.
"Once we had it out there that we were looking to sell, we did receive some inquiries, mostly international," said Zetcher. "I hope (Nanoli) is happy and I hope he'll be happy. This seemed like right thing to do for the horse and all the parties involved."
Nanoli owner Dhunjibhoy is also the chairman of the Royal Western India Turf Club in Mumbai. The stud is known for standing the late English-bred group I winner Glory Of Dancer, sire of Antonios and Hotstepper, who captured consecutive runnings of the McDowell Indian Derby (Ind-I) in 2008-2009.
According to the stallion roster on its website, the farm is currently standing Australian-bred Kingda Ka (by Flying Spur) and Irish-bred Ikhtyar (by Unfuwain).
