Grade 2 winner Stanford will enter stud in 2018 at Tommy Town Thoroughbreds near Santa Ynez, Calif., the farm announced Sept. 28.
Stanford will become the only son of Malibu Moon to stand in California. His fee will be $5,000, stands and nurses.
Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Stanford was sold as a 2-year-old for $550,000 out of the Kings Equine consignment at the 2014 Barretts March sale to trainer Todd Pletcher. Stanford raced for the partnership of Stonestreet Stables, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith.
Stanford broke his maiden at first asking at 2 and then at 3 finished second in the Louisiana Derby (G2) and WinStar Farm Easy Goer Stakes before getting his first black-type win in the Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park. At 4 , he won the Charles Town Classic Stakes (G2) and the Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3), while also finishing second in two other graded stakes—Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2) and the Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3). This year Sanford set a track record for 8 1/2 furlongs in Challenger Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, which he won in 1:41.75 over graded stakes winners Blofeld , Ami's Flatter , and Idolo Porteno.
Out of the Distorted Humor mare Rosy Humor, Stanford is from the same family as top sires Johannesburg and Tale of the Cat . He has compiled a 6-5-0 record out of 17 starts and earned more than $1.38 million.
