Miswaki, who has sired 96 stakes winners and is broodmare sire of 106 stakes winners, has been pensioned from stallion duty at John T.L. Jones Jr.'s Walmac International near Lexington because of his advanced age and declining fertility. The announcement of the 26-year-old stallion's retirement Tuesday afternoon came three days after his son Sir Shackleton won the $600,000 West Virginia Derby (gr. III).
"His general health is good," said Shelly Tillery of Walmac. "He was restricted to shareholder mares this year, and covered six, but none got in foal. I saw him last week, and he was doing fine, but was a little slow."
Miswaki is on the verge of reaching the century mark by number of stakes winners previously reached by former Walmac stallions Alleged and Nureyev. "Great sires like Alleged, Nureyev, and Miswaki really put Walmac on the map," Jones said.
Miswaki developed a reputation as a top international sire. His runners won championships in North America, Ireland, France, Italy, Germany, and Dubai, and were led by Black Tie Affair, who won the 1991 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) to clinch Horse of the Year and champion older male honors. A daughter, French champion Urban Sea, won the Ciga Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I).
Miswaki's other top international performers include Japan Cup (Jpn-I) winner Marvelous Crown, Australian group I winner Umatilla, and this year's Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-I, sponsored by Boylesports) winner Bachelor Duke, who is stakes winner No. 96.
A son of Mr. Prospector out of the Buckpasser mare Hopespringseternal, Miswaki won the Prix de la Salamandre (Fr-I) and Prix Yacowlef at two and the Charles Hatton Stakes in New York at three. He was retired with wins or placings in 11 of 13 starts.
Miswaki, whose first grade I winner, Hopeful winner Papal Power, came in his first crop, has sired the earners of $66 million. He is represented by 38 juveniles and 27 yearlings. This year, he is the broodmare sire of a dozen stakes winners.
