WinStar Farm added two new stallions to its 2017 roster with the recent retirement of grade I winner Outwork and grade III victor Speightster .
Outwork, a son of Uncle Mo , won the April 9 Wood Memorial (gr. I) and Speightster, by Speightstown , took the Dwyer Stakes (gr. III) in 2015.
"Outwork and Speightster are as close to Uncle Mo and Speightstown as you will find when you look at the combination of their overall quality, physical traits, and racing traits in relation to their sires," said Elliott Walden, WinStar's president and chief executive officer. "Speightstown is emerging as a sire of sires, and Speightster is closely related to Smart Strike and bred just like him. Most would expect Uncle Mo to have successful sons at stud, and Outwork looks like a carbon copy. So these are two very exciting new stallion prospects that will have the full support of some of the top breeders in the world, including WinStar and our partners Mike Repole and Woodford Thoroughbreds on Outwork. Both horses also figure to be priced in the market to be accessible for a wide range of breeders."
Outwork is the first grade I winner by Uncle Mo to retire to stud. After his Wood Memorial win, he went on to finish unplaced in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). He also became his sire's first winner as a 2-year-old when he impressively broke his maiden on debut going 4 1/2 furlongs during the 2015 Keeneland spring meet.
"Outwork has always reminded me so much of Uncle Mo," said trainer Todd Pletcher. "Both are big colts with similar qualities, including their uncanny speed and precociousness for their size. Both were always very forward in the mornings and among the best work horses in the barn, and obviously they both went on to do great things stretching out their speed to win major grade I races."
Bred and owned by Repole Stable, Outwork earned $701,800 racing. He is out of the grade I-placed Empire Maker mare Nonna Mia, a half sister to multiple grade II winner Cairo Prince .
Speightster scored a seven-length debut win at Keeneland, and backed it up with a 3 1/2-length victory over grade II winner Joking in his next start in a Belmont allowance.
In his third start, Speightster remained undefeated at his third different distance and third different class level when he captured the one-mile Dwyer by 2 1/2 lengths over 2014 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner Texas Red . Speightster only made one start in 2016, when he finished eighth in the Churchill Downs Stakes (gr. II) May 7.
"Speightster was an extremely fast and talented horse," said trainer Bill Mott. "He really reminded me a lot of another colt I had from that sire line, Elusive Quality. Both had brilliant speed and a rare ability to carry it over a mile."
A WinStar homebred, Speightster hails from the Danzig mare Dance Swiftly, a full sister to champion Dance Smartly and half sister to champion sire Smart Strike.
Stud fees for Outwork and Speightster will be announced at a later date.