For a stallion owner to collect on insurance, the stallion must cover a minimum of 20 mares and impregnate less than 60% of them. According to Bill Carl, whose Old Colony Insurance in Lexington does not handle the policy on A P Valentine, insurance companies expect the stallion to cover each mare twice, or sometimes three times. Carl said exceptions are made if a mare was barren the two previous years or is 18 or older. A P Valentine's low fertility rate from Ashford said "specialists are monitoring the situation and the matter is under constant review."
Officials with Ashford Stud confirmed on Thursday that first-year stallion A P Valentine is experiencing fertility problems.The son of A.P. Indy out of Twenty Eight Carat, by Alydar, purchased by Ashford parent Coolmore in October 2000 for an amount reported to be $16 million, entered stud at the Versailles, Ky., farm with a live foal fee of $15,000. The Nick Zito-trained colt won 2-of-4 starts at 2, including his only career stakes win in the Champagne (gr. I), after which Coolmore bought his breeding rights from Rick Pitino's Celtic Pride Stables. At 3, A P Valentine won just once in nine starts but finished second behind Point Given in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) and Belmont Stakes (gr. I). He defeated Point Given in the Champagne.Five years ago, Coolmore dealt with the infertility of Horse of the Year Cigar, who stood at Ashford. Coolmore had bought a three-quarter interest in Cigar from breeder/owner Allen Paulson in a deal that valued the Northern Dancer great-grandson at $25 million. Cigar failed to impregnate a single mare, and Coolmore and Paulson collected on the insurance policy taken out on the horse. Cigar later was moved to the Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington, where he still resides.