With Approval Sold to Lanwades in England

With Approval, for years one of North America's top turf stallions, has been acquired by Kirsten Rausing's Lanwades Stud from a syndicate for stallion duty. Nineteen-year-old With Approval, who formerly stood at Fred Seitz' Brookdale Farm near Versailles, Ky., already has arrived at his new home near Newmarket, England.

"We are naturally delighted to have acquired a proven stallion of With Approval's class, performance, and durability," Rausing said about the Canadian Horse of the Year and Triple Crown winner. "His excellent conformation and top-class pedigree make him an outstanding outcross opportunity, suitable for most European-based mares. It has long been my ambition to re-introduce the Grey Sovereign sire line to England, and I am thrilled to have achieved this."

Sired by Grey Sovereign's grandson Caro, With Approval has sired 42 stakes winners, plus the earners of $34 million, about half of which was earned by his grass runners.

With Approval's 16 graded or group winners include Canadian champion 2-year-old male Talkin Man, sire of last year's John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) winner Better Talk Now. With Approval also is the sire of Italian champion Sajana and such North American graded winners as Thesaurus, Ok by Me, and Lasting Approval.

With Approval, who raced as a homebred for the Willmot family's Kinghaven Farms, won 13 of 23 starts and earned $2,863,540. Nine of his wins came in stakes, and his victory in the 1990 Bowling Green Handicap (gr. IIT) at Belmont Park came in world record time of 2:10.26 for 11 furlongs.

With Approval, who was produced from the Buckpasser mare Passing Mood, will have his fee announced later. He stood the 2005 season at Brookdale for $5,000.