Irish Conquest to Stand in Azerbaijan

The Azeri Horse Club, MAG Company Ltd., and Cedar Meadow Inc. [CMI) announced that 11-year-old Irish Conquest will stand at the Azeri Horse Club facility in Baku in Azerbaijan in 2005.

Irish Conquest (Conquistador Cielo--Irish Colors, by Hoist the Flag) won seven of 41 starts and earned $362,635. He took the Deputy Minister Handicap and placed in five stakes, including the Illinois Derby (gr. II), Gulfstream Park Breeders Cup Sprint Championship Handicap (gr. III), and Lafayette Stakes (gr. III).

Cedar Meadow (Paul Giardina, president) acted as agent for the sale and export of Irish Conquest, who previously stood at Cobble Creek Farm in New York State. This is believed to be the first time a U.S.-bred Thoroughbred stallion has been shipped to Azerbaijan.

In the past 12 months, CMI has also acted as the agent for the sale and export of 16 other Thoroughbreds to the TransCaucasian region, including seven yearlings of 2004 and a pair of 2-year-olds. Both juveniles, winners in their first starts, are owned by the Union of Horse Breeding and Development - Georgia [UHBDG]. The Azeri Horse Club, UHBDG, and CMI are continuing to work as cooperative partners and to pursue the acquisition of additional U.S. bloodstock for export to the TransCaucasian area.