Fresh from his definitive 3 1/2-length victory in the Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I), Tamarkuz has been retired from racing and will stand at Shadwell Stud near Lexington. His fee for 2017 will be $12,500 live foal.
Bred in Kentucky by John Gunther, Tamarkuz was purchased by Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Estate as a yearling for $325,000 at the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale from Gunther's Glennwood Farm consignment.
"He had great conformation, and he was well-bred and a really good-looking individual," said Shadwell general manager Rick Nichols about Tamarkuz as a yearling. Farm manager Gregory Clarke echoed: "We loved him from the get-go."
Tamarkuz is by Speightstown , champion sprinter of 2004. The son of Gone West is the sire of 78 stakes winners and will stand the 2017 season for a reported $100,000 at WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky.
The Dirt Mile winner is out of Without You Babe, a daughter of Lemon Drop Kid and a half sister to grade I winner Stay Thirsty and grade III winner (and classic-placed) Andromeda's Hero.
Tamarkuz has won eight of 20 starts, placed an additional four times, earning $1,840,444.
In addition to his grade I score in the Breeders' Cup, he also won the Godolphin Mile Sponsored by Meydan Sobha (UAE-II), the Burg Nahaar Sponsored by Emirates Holidays (UAE-III), and Firebreak Stakes Sponsored by Land Rover (UAE-III). In the U.S. he was second in the Priority One Jets Forego Stakes (gr. I) and Kelso Handicap (gr. II).
Tamarkuz began his career in Britain as a 2-year-old, with two wins and a second from four starts before heading to Dubai and then to the United States.
"We knew he had potential," trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. "He's very well balanced and should make a nice stallion."
