Maryland Stallion Carnivalay Pensioned

Carnivalay, one of Maryland's top stallions since entering the stallion ranks at the Pons family's Country Life Farm near Bel Air, Md., and one of the last of the Northern Dancers at stud, has been pensioned because of decreased fertility. Twenty-two-year-old Carnivalay is represented by 35 stakes winners and the earners of
$25 million.

"This past season, we had some breed-and-return mares reported as in foal, but we could not confirm any pregnancies here at the farm," said Josh Pons. "Semen evaluation showed effects of testicular degeneration, and we excused breeders from their contracts.

"He means a lot to the history of this farm, and his contributions to Maryland's stallion ranks are unquestionable. He's also a great farm character, with a big piebald face and an amusing personality."

Carnivalay's first crop debuted in 1989 and included 2-year-old stakes winners Valay Maid and Groscar. It was the same year that Carnivalay's half-sister, Go for Wand, won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) and an Eclipse Award. In 1990, Valay Maid was a grade II winner and ran third in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) on her way to career earnings of $641,442.

Carnivalay's career stakes winners also includes Ameri Valay, who won consecutive runnings of the John B. Campbell Handicap (gr. III) at Pimlico and earned $743,529. As a stallion, Ameri Valey sired 2002 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) runner-up Magic Weisner.

Carnivalay, who was produced from the Cyane mare Obeah, was a Maryland Stallion of the Year. He raced as a homebred for Jane Lunger's Christiana Stables, winning one of four starts.