I'll Have Another would earn a rare spot in Thoroughbred racing history should he prevail in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) June 9 and become the sport's 12th Triple Crown winner. But the title is not expected to appreciably affect his value as a stallion prospect from what it is prior to the Belmont, say several bloodstock agents and farm owners.
The son of Flower Alley would certainly be a novelty in any stud barn but the reality of the breeding market is that first-year stallions don’t command the premium price they once did—even for Triple Crown winners.
"People have evolved toward proven stallions because they realize they may be the end-user; they may have to race the horse," said Jack Brothers, a long-time adviser to Adena Springs. "Everything in the market has changed and it’s not going back."
While the Belmont has produced some good sires, several in the breeding industry said they tend to give more weight to the Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I), believing that talented milers make better stallion prospects. Shackleford , the 2011 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner who will stand at Darby Dan Farm beginning in 2013, won this year's Metropolitan.
And what is I’ll Have Another potentially worth as a stallion prospect? It’s a tender topic considering the chess game that is stallion acquisition. No one wants to tip their hand, but a few breeders and brokers offered a broad guess.
Collectively, they estimate I’ll Have Another’s breeding rights are worth between $6 million to $10 million and that he could stand during his first year between $15,000 and $30,000. Most estimated his entering year fee could be closer to $20,000-$25,000.