After standing 20 years at Alec Head’s stud farm in Normandy, France, Highest Honor, a French champion and two-time leading sire, has been pensioned.
Bred by Haras de la Louvière, the 25-year-old son of Kenmare raced in the colors of Issam Fares, the owner of Haras de Manneville in France and Fares Farm near Lexington. Fares is perhaps best known as the breeder of reigning Horse of the Year Curlin.
Trained by Pascal Bary, Highest Honor won the Prix Edmond Blanc (Fr-III) and the Prix d’Ispahan (Fr-I) at 4.
Syndicated upon his arrival at stud, Highest Honor has sired numerous group winners, including group I victors Reve D’Oscar, Marotta, Medaaly, Sagacity, Admise, Royal Honor, and Dedication. Admise and Dedication were also graded stakes winners in North America, respectively taking the 1996 Oak Tree Turf Championship Stakes (gr. IT) and the 2004 Beaugay Handicap (gr. IIIT).
Highest Honor is also the broodmare sire of such group winners as Vettori, Geordieland, Stella Blue, Ruwi, Bernebeau, and Groom Tesse.
A sire of sires, some of Highest Honors sons currently standing at stud include Verglas, Take Risks, Sagacity, Baroud D’Honneur, Medaaly, and Vangelis, a group II-placed runner in North America.
To date, Highest Honor has sired 474 winners from 691 starters and has progeny earnings of $34,327,906.
