Whispering Oaks Farm has acquired a majority interest in leading third-crop sire Closing Argument and the soon-to-be 10-year-old stallion has moved from Ro Parra’s Millennium Farms in Central Kentucky to Whispering Oaks near Carnecro, La., for the 2012 breeding season.
The Florida-bred son of Successful Appeal —Mrs. Greeley, by Mr. Greeley, will rank as the leading Louisiana sire with more than $3 million in earnings in 2011. He will stand for a stud fee of $5,000, live foal stand and nurses, with special consideration to stakes-winning or stakes-producing mares.
“Closing Argument is a great fit for the Louisiana program and we are thrilled to have acquired a majority interest in him in time for the 2012 breeding season,” said Whispering Oaks Farm owner Carrol Castille. “He is a high-quality stallion as evidenced by his status as leading Louisiana stallion the minute he arrived at Whispering Oaks.”
Closing Argument is currently in the top 10 on the third-crop sire list and is represented by four stakes winners and 88 winners. In 2010 he ranked eighth among the leading second-crop sires and in 2009 was 10th on the leading first-crop sire list.
His lifetime progeny earnings are more than $6 million. He is the sire of 16 stakes horses, including 11 in 2011. His stakes horses include grade I-placed Puttthebabiesdown, My Irish Girl, Close It Out, Determinato, and Tiz the Argument, recent winner of Aqueduct’s Let Me Linger Stakes.
A grade III winner on the track, Closing Argument is best known for running second, beaten only a half-length by Giacomo, in the 2005 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands. He had a 3-3-2 slate from nine starts and earned $986,984.
