Multiple grade 1 winner and top-10 second-crop sire Stay Thirsty has been sold and will relocate to Terry Lovingier's Lovacres Ranch near Warner Springs, Calif.
"Stay Thirsty brings a ton of pedigree and is a big alternative to a lot of stallions out here," said Lovingier, who bought a majority interest in the stallion from Ashford Stud, where the stallion retired to stud in 2013. "He is arguably the best stallion out here in terms of his race record. He provides one more opportunity for California breeders to get a good horse."
Lovingier put out the word he was looking for a really good stallion because he needed a California breed-back option for some top-shelf mares, including California champions My Fiona and Lost Bus. My Fiona was bred this year to American Pharoah , while Lost Bus is in foal to Will Take Charge .
"I reached out for different stallions, but Stay Thirsty is the one who became available and it made sense for both parties," Lovingier said. "He is a beautiful, beautiful well-made horse. This move is great for the Cal-bred racing program."
Stay Thirsty, who will be the only son of Bernardini standing in California, will stand for $5,000. The stallion is expected to arrive in California either over the coming weekend or early next week.
The 9-year-old son of Bernardini—Marozia, by Storm Bird, was bred in Kentucky by John D. Gunter and John Darren Gunter and raced by Mike Repole's Repole Stable. The colt was acquired at the 2010 Fasig-Tipton Florida select 2-year-olds in training sale for $500,000. He won or placed in nine graded stakes, with victories in the 2011 Travers Stakes (G1) and 2012 Cigar Mile Handicap (G1). He also finished second in the 2011 Belmont Stakes (G1). Stay Thirsty retired with a 5-5-1 record out of 17 starts and earnings of $1,936,000.
Repole has retained a 10% interest in the stallion.
As a stallion, Stay Thirsty has sired five black-type winners, including multiple graded winner Coal Front and Peruvian multiple grade 1 winner Golden Leaf. His other black-type winners are Cosmo Charlie, graded-placed Princess Karen, and Jocker Justice. Out of 137 starters, Stay Thirsty has sired 73 winners that have earned more than $4.33 million in purses.
"(Stay Thirsty's) numbers are going to increase by 20-30% because his progeny are going to be running in the Cal-bred ranks," Lovingier said. "They'll be good horses, and his progeny earnings per foal will go way up."
