Prominent New York horse owner Robert LaPenta has purchased a "significant interest" in grade I winner Jeranimo from owner B.J. Wright, it was announced Jan. 24.
Wright, contacted by phone, declined to disclose the terms of the deal.
According to a statement released by LaPenta, the 7-year-old son of Congaree was bought both for racing and as a stallion prospect. Jeranimo is to remain in Southern California with trainer Michael Pender through this spring and will be transferred to the East Coast stable of Chad Brown later in the year.
Wright said no decision has been made on where Jeranimo will stand as a stallion. "Bob and I will work together on that," he said. "It will probably be in New York or California."
In his most recent start Jan. 13, Jeranimo won the San Gabriel Stakes (gr. IIT) on the turf at Santa Anita Park for the second time in three years. He captured the Shoemaker Mile (gr. IT) on grass at Betfair Hollywood Park last June and is a five-time grade II winner as well. Jeranimo has twice competed in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT), finishing seventh in 2011 and sixth last November when the event was held at Santa Anita.
Wright said he was looking forward to another big campaign with Jeranimo and would like to run him in the Arlington Million (gr. IT) this summer.
"He's at the top of his game right now," he said. "Pender has done a fabulous job with Jeranimo to keep him healthy all this time. And no matter what happens, we think we have an outstanding stallion prospect."
"I am excited about the opportunity to partner with B.J. Wright and I am particularly excited about the prospects for Jeranimo. He has shown great ability and heart thus far and I believe that his best races are still ahead of him," LaPenta said in his statement.
Successful on both turf and synthetic surfaces, Jeranimo has nine wins and 11 placings from 32 lifetime races while earning $1,197,400. The bay was bred in Florida by Brylynn Farm and is out of the stakes-winning mare Jera, by Jeblar.
