Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Stud deal for Classic Empire
Champion to stand at Ashford Stud when racing career over
Classic Empire, last year’s champion juvenile male, will stand at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky., upon his retirement from racing following a deal brokered by bloodstock agent Justin Casse to secure his breeding rights.
The 3-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile will continue to race for owner John Oxley and trainer Mark Casse, Justin’s brother.
“Everybody’s delighted to be working with one another,” Justin Casse said. “The Oxleys, the Casses, Coolmore, everybody has a great track record, and for everyone to come together, it should be a winning team in all phases of the horse’s career.”
Classic Empire has won 5 of 9 starts for earnings of $2,520,220. He was unanimously named the champion 2-year-old colt of 2016 after winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity, and the Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes.
This year, Classic Empire has won the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, run fourth in the Kentucky Derby, and finished second by a head to Cloud Computing in the Preakness Stakes.
Bred in Kentucky by Steven and Brandi Nicholson, Classic Empire is out of the placed Cat Thief mare Sambuca Classica, whose four foals to race are all winners, including the stakes winners Uptown Twirl and Anytime Magic. He is from the extended family of Grade 1-placed stakes winner In Her Glory.
Classic Empire will be the sixth Eclipse Award winner as champion juvenile male to stand at Ashford Stud upon retirement from the past eight recipients, following Lookin At Lucky (winner in 2009), Uncle Mo (2010), Hansen (2011, now standing in Korea), Shanghai Bobby (2013), and American Pharoah (2014).
Classic Empire will join 2015 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year American Pharoah as sons of Pioneerof the Nile standing at Ashford Stud.
Beholder’s dam visits Pharoah
Broodmare of the Year Leslie’s Lady, the dam of fourtime Eclipse Award champion Beholder, has been confirmed in foal to American Pharoah.
Coolmore’s Ashford Stud, which stands American Pharoah, said via its social media outlets that Clarkland Farm, which owns Leslie’s Lady, had confirmed her in foal over the weekend. Leslie’s Lady delivered a Medaglia d’Oro colt on April 4.
Leslie’s Lady, a 21-year-old Tricky Creek mare, is the dam of five winners from seven starters, led by Beholder, who retired last fall with a record of 26-18-6-0 and earnings of $6,156,600. Her 11 Grade 1 victories include the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and 2013 and 2016 editions of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff as well as the 2015 Pacific Classic against male rivals. She earned Eclipse Awards as the champion 2-year-old filly of 2012, 3-yearold filly of 2013, and older female of 2015 and 2016.
Leslie’s Lady is also the dam of Into Mischief, the winner of the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity as a juvenile. He is now a successful sire, with offspring including two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents, Grade 1 winner Practical Joke, and Grade 2 winners Vyjack and Vicar’s in Trouble. Two of Leslie’s Lady’s daughters, Judy B and Daisy Mason, are also stakes producers.
Leslie’s Lady was represented by the sale-topper at last year’s Keeneland September yearling sale, with Coolmore going to $3 million to acquire her Scat Daddy colt. The colt, named Mendelssohn, was exported to Ireland and is preparing for his career debut.
American Pharoah is concluding his second season at stud. He stood at Ashford for a private fee this year after standing for an advertised fee of $200,000 in 2016. The stallion will shuttle to stand at Coolmore’s Australian farm for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season later this year.