Brereton C. Jones' Airdrie Stud announced stud fees for the 2019 breeding season Oct. 1, though the fee for second-ranked first-crop sire, Cairo Prince , will be determined following the upcoming Breeders' Cup Championship weekend at Churchill Downs.
Cairo Prince, a son of Pioneerof the Nile, is one of two freshman sires to be represented by a graded stakes winner through Sept. 30. His top runner is Cairo Cat, who beat a field of 11 challengers in the Sept. 15 Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill. Cairo Cat was bred in Kentucky by Clifton Farm and races for Walking L Thoroughbreds and trainer Ken McPeek.
New to the Airdrie Stud roster for 2019 is multiple graded stakes winner McCraken (by Ghostzapper ), who will stand for $10,000 as will American Freedom , who entered stud in 2018, Upstart (2017), and Summer Front (2016).
Creative Cause , the leading third-crop sire by number of black-type winners to date with six, is ranked third on that list by progeny earnings and will remain at $20,000, after breeding his biggest and best book of mares at that price in 2018. Include , a mainstay in the Woodford County stud barn, will remain at $7,500.
Mark Valeski , a son of the late Proud Citizen and another first-crop sire, will once again have his stud fee listed as private. Network Effect, who won at first asking at Saratoga Race Course, is Mark Valeski's top horse so far this year.
"We have a young, growing stallion roster that enjoys the tremendous support of loyal commercial breeders and end-users, as well as our own broodmare band" said Cormac Breathnach, Airdrie's director of stallion nominations. "Each year, our new stallions have been extremely well received by the market, and we are excited to now offer McCraken, Ghostzapper's best son to retire to Kentucky. Creative Cause continues to go from strength to strength, and Cairo Prince's star is rising still. It is a very exciting time."
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Airdrie Stud's 2019 Fees
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| Stallion | 2019 Fee | 2018 Fee |
| American Freedom | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Cairo Prince | TBA | $25,000 |
| Creative Cause | $20,000 | $20,000 |
| Include | $7,500 | $7,500 |
| Mark Valeski | Private | Private |
| McCraken | $10,000 | NEW |
| Summer Front | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Upstart | 10,000 | $10,000 |
