Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's Lea , a grade I winner and earner of $2,182,398, will be retired following the upcoming Breeders' Cup World Championships and be retired to Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky., for the 2016 breeding season.
His fee will be announced following the Breeders' Cup.
Lea, by First Samurai out of Greenery, by Galileo, has won seven times from 18 starts with five seconds and three thirds and has won two-turn graded stakes on dirt and turf. He's won or placed in 11 graded stakes.
Winner of the 2014 Donn Handicap (gr. I), he was second in the Donn this year prior to a third-place finish in the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (UAE-I) and a runner-up effort, beaten just a neck, in the grade I Stephen Foster Handicap.
He's earned triple digit Beyer Speed Figures in six of his last seven starts, including a 114 and a 110.
"Lea has a great disposition, and he's one of the coolest horses we've ever had in the barn," said Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. "He's very effective on both surfaces. He's fast enough to be top class at a mile, and he's shown he can run with the best at nine to 10 furlongs. He's an exciting horse to be around."
Stakes-placed Greenery is a half sister to three grade/group winners including Grassy, winner of the Red Smith and Bowling Green (both gr. IIT) handicaps, and group II winner Lady in Waiting.
Claiborne has also announced its stud fees for 2016 and the farm is led by War Front , whose fee is being boosted from $150,000 to $200,000. Below is the Claiborne roster, the 2016 fee with 2015 fee in parentheses:
Sire • 2016 Fee (2015 Fee)
Algorithms • $5,000 ($5,000)
Arch • $40,000 ($40,000)
Blame • $25,000 ($20,000)
Data Link • $7,500 ($7,500)
First Samurai • $15,000 ($15,000)
Flatter • $30,000 ($20,000)
Lea • TBA
Orb • $25,000 ($25,000)
Stroll • $5,000 ($5,000)
Trappe Shot • $10,000 ($10,000)
War Front • $200,000 ($150,000)
Lea winning the 2014 Donn Handicap.
Coglianese Photos