Aldrin, a winning son of Malibu Moon and half brother to three-time leading sire Tapit , has been retired to O'Sullivan Farms near Charles Town, W.Va.
Out of the Unbridled mare Tap Your Heels, Aldrin sold for $1 million at the 2014 Keeneland April 2-year-olds in training sale, where he worked an eighth-mile in :09 4/5. He was initially raced by Gainesway, Mt. Brilliant Stables, and Robert LaPenta, and later moved to Altamira Racing Stable.
"As soon as we heard this horse was available, we jumped on it," said John Funkhouser, who manages his family's O'Sullivan Farms, the oldest Thoroughbred breeding farm in West Virginia. "He is a good-sized horse, who is very correct. He showed some ability—some speed. Of course, if he'd won a stakes then we could not have afforded him. We believe he can be an important horse."
Aldrin's first four dams have all produced significant stallions, Funkhouser noted. His second dam Ruby Slippers produced Rubiano, his third dam Moon Glitter produced Glitterman, and his fourth dam Foggy Note produced Relaunch.
O'Sullivan is now offering about 20 lifetime breeding rights in Aldrin. The farm will use the demand expressed for these rights to assess the interest among East Coast breeders and set his stud fee accordingly, Funkhouser said.