Who’s the studliest Valentine of 2013, at least in the Thoroughbred horse racing world? Irish-bred and born champion racer Frankel holds the title, hooves down.
As of February 14, Frankel’s book of mares is already maxed out for 2013. The handsome five-year-old stud’s exclusive group of breeding candidates includes such renowned mares as Danedream, Flirtation, Honorine, Lady Vettori, Maycocks, Musical Treat, Quest to Peak, Soignee, Waldmark, Zomaradah, and possibly even Australian wonder horse Black Caviar.
The first confirmed breeding for the prized stallion, Frankel’s Valentine’s Day date, is aptly named Midday.
“[Frankel’s] book of mares is as one would hope and expect for the best racehorse ever,” explained Philip Mitchell, Banstead’s general manager, on February 13. “We have one of the most impressive books of mares that a first-season sire has received.”
Retiring unbeaten to begin his breeding career on Valentine’s Day, Frankel (Galileo x Kind by Danehill) stands at stud at Juddmonte Farms’ Banstead Manor Stud Farm in New Market, Suffolk. His stud fee, cited as $125,000 British pounds, or nearly $200,000, a pop.
“The fee for Frankel reflects his merits as being perhaps the greatest racehorse we have ever witnessed,” Mitchell commented..
Owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah and trained by Sir Henry Cecil, Frankel won 14 races to earntop champion racing titles in his second, third, and fourth year of age. The stallion retired in 2012 as the record holder for consecutive Grade I victories in Europe.
Foaled in 2008 at Banstead, Frankel stands 16.1 hands high. The bay horse was apparently named for the late, great American horse racing trainer Bobby Frankel.
Bloodhorse columnist Steve Haskin tagged Frankel as “racing’s four-legged monster.”
Eager breeders and owners of the 100-plus line-up of mare candidates for the prized stallion surely hope he throws his amazing talent to his offspring, while behaving anything but monstrously in the breeding shed.
Frankel’s first foals will be expected on the ground in 2014. How many Frankel offspring will be Triple Crown racing contenders in 2017?
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