Grand Slam's Fee Upped to $85,000; Lion Heart Starting at $30,000

Ashford Stud stallions Grand Slam and Tale of the Cat, two of the year's leading sires, have undergone fee changes for 2005--one up and the other down. Both stood for $75,000 in 2004. Grand Slam's fee was upped to $85,000, and Tale of the Cat's decreased to $65,000.

Ashford, a satellite of Irish-based Coolmore Stud located near Versailles, Ky., will announce the fees for leading freshmen sires Fusaichi Pegasus and Giant's Causeway upon application. In 2004, they stood for advertised fees of $85,000 and $75,000, respectively.

Ashford also welcomed two newcomers to its stallion ranks. Lion Heart, a son of Tale of the Cat, will stand for $30,000, and Chapel Royal, by Montbrook, will stand for $10,000.

Ashford announced fees of $40,000 for Thunder Gulch, down from $50,000; $35,000 for Hennessy and $30,000 for Johannesburg, plus ones of $25,000 for Stravinsky (down from $40,000), $20,000 for Woodman (down from $25,000), $17,500 for Royal Academy (down from $20,000), who recently sired his 100th stakes winner; $15,000 for High Yield (down from $25,000), Hold That Tiger, and Honour and Glory (down from $17,500); and $7,500 for Black Minnaloushe (down from $10,000) and Van Nistelrooy.