Musket Man, a 5-year-old son of Yonaguska, will stand at Vinery in Summerfield, Fla., this year for $2,500 stands and nurses. A winner of six starts, including four stakes races, two of which were graded, Musket Man also placed eight times from 16 career starts, earning more than $1.23 million.
“Musket Man is an exciting addition to the Vinery Florida roster,” said stallion director Declan Doyle. “As a grade II winner and grade I-placed millionaire he dodged no one at the racetrack while demonstrating the qualities and class breeders crave in a stallion. Local breeders will no doubt remember his stirring win in the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III).”
Raced by Eric Fein and Vic Carlson and trained by Derek Ryan, Musket Man was never worse than third in 14 consecutive starts, five of which were grade I events, including the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands, Preakness Stakes, and the Met Mile, Whitney and Carter Handicaps. He won at four distances from six furlongs to 1 1/8 miles at ages 2 through 4.
On the road to the Triple Crown, Musket Man won the Tampa Bay Derby as well as the Illinois Derby (gr. II) and finished third in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness after encountering troubled trips in both classics. A stakes winner at 4, Musket Man dropped close decisions in grade I events to Quality Road , Blame , and Warrior's Reward .
Yonaguska, a grade I winner and the sire of 17 stakes winners, is by 1994 champion sprinter Cherokee Run. Musket Man is out of the stakes-placed Fortunate Prospect mare Fortuesque, who comes from a strong family of stakes winners, including champion 2-year-old and major sire Silent Screen.
Musket Man is available for inspection now as well as at Vinery’s upcoming open house Feb. 11.
