Swettenham Stud has announced that millionaire Host, winner of the Jan. 4 Canadian Turf Handicap (gr. IIIT), will stand the 2008 breeding season at its Nagambie property in Victoria, Australia, according to a release.
"Host is an outstanding addition for 2008 to our stallion roster. He had absolute brilliance from 1,000 meters to a mile, and he met and beat nothing but the best," said Swettenham's Adam Sangster.
Host's win and class were never questioned in the Canadian Turf at 1 1/16 miles as he unleashed his trademark finish at the top of the straight to win going away. Plans are for Host to make one more start for owner Eugene Melnyk.
Competing in his native Chile and Dubai in addition to North America, Host won or placed in 19 of 27 starts and earned $1,136,408. Nine of his 10 wins came in stakes. Foaled in 2000, he was Chile's champion 2-year-old male. His biggest win came in the 2005 Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (gr. IT) at Keeneland.
Following his arrival from Chile, Host was trained by Todd Pletcher, who called him "one of the coolest horses I have ever had to train. He is pretty much push-button. He has that explosive turn of foot."
By Hussonet, Host is out of the stakes-winning Roy mare Colonna Traiana. Importantly for the Australian broodmare population, Host is free of Northern Dancer and being inbred to Mr. Prospector naturally lends himself to the Australian broodmare population that is saturated with Northern Dancer blood.
