WinStar Farm has acquired an interest in all four stallions – Bellamy Road, Summer Bird, Artie Schiller and U S Ranger – from Pauls Mill and will relocate them to WinStar for the 2012 breeding season.
“We are extremely excited about these four young stallion prospects, which Ben Walden has already done a fabulous job developing,” said Kenny Troutt, owner of WinStar Farm. “Ben has a God-given talent to see the potential in a young stallion prospect, and Bellamy Road is his latest success story. Ben will stay involved and continue to have a significant interest in all of these stallions’ futures.”
Bellamy Road and Artie Schiller both have second crops racing in 2011, and both have already enjoyed success from their progeny. Bellamy Road currently stands No. 3 on the Second-Crop Sires list and has sired four graded stakes winners to date, including Wood Memorial (G1) winner Toby’s Corner and undefeated G2-winning 2-year-old filly Position Limit. His second crop already includes the undefeated 2-year-old filly Georgie’s Angel, recent winner of the Schuylerville S. (G3) at Saratoga. Artie Schiller has eight stakes horses to date, led by Grade 1 performer Mr. Commons, who recently captured the Oceanside S. at Del Mar.
Summer Bird and U S Ranger stood their first and second years, respectively, in 2011.
“This was a rare opportunity to buy into four promising young stallions at the upswing of their careers,” said Elliott Walden, President and CEO of WinStar. “We tested the proven-sire market last year when we acquired Harlan’s Holiday, and he was our most popular stallion in 2011. We’re hoping for similar results from Bellamy Road and Artie Schiller.”
Ben Walden, the elder brother to Elliott, will continue to own and operate Pauls Mill as a thoroughbred farm, but will no longer stand stallions.
“It will be rewarding to see the work we have begun with these four stallions meld into the exciting future of WinStar,” said Ben Walden. “I look forward to serving them going forward as WinStar seeks future opportunities in the stallion business.
“Bellamy Road is a sensational young stallion. What more could he have done to now? Artie Schiller was truly a top miler and we’re seeing his first crop of 3-year-olds flourish like we expected them to,” he added. “When I think of Summer Bird I think of his extraordinary physique, which most top stallions possess, and his exceptional female family includes Tapit. What I love about U S Ranger is his undefeated 2-year-old season coupled with his miler speed and sire’s pedigree. The future is bright for all of them.”
WinStar will announce 2012 stud fees at a later date.
