Chris Bernhard has announced that Fog of War, a Grade 1 juvenile stakes winner, will stand the 2021 season at Questroyal / Hidden Lake Farm near Stillwater, N.Y.
A $400,000 Keeneland September yearling consigned by Gainesway, Fog of War was purchased by White Birch Farm and raced under the colors of Peter M. Brant his entire career.
A precocious 2-year-old, Fog of War won his career debut in an $85,000 maiden special weight at Saratoga, defeating a $800,000 OBS 2-year-old and a $725,000 son of Curlin in a field of nine, racing 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf in 1:03.92. A month later, Fog of War met up with War of Will in a duel to the wire to capture the Grade 1 Summer Stakes at Woodbine over the eventual Preakness Stakes victor in a winning time of 1:33.90 at a mile on the turf.
At three, he was caught at the wire by future Grade 1 winner Win Win Win in the Manila Stakes at Belmont Park, racing one mile on the turf in 1:31.56, just 33/100ths off the course record. The 4-year-old was recently retired after finishing on the board in the G3 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park on Oct. 4.
Fog of War's sire War Front, has perennially ranked among the top 25 sires in the United States. He is the sire of three champions, a four-time highweight in Europe, 95 stakes winners, and 465 winners of 1,271 races, with earnings of nearly $75 million. He is sire of 21 seven-figure sale yearlings and stands at Claiborne Farm for a fee of $150,000.
Fog of War's dam Say, a daughter of Galileo, was a Group 3 winner in Ireland, earning $158,325, and she finished in the top three in five stakes in Ireland and Great Britain.
She produced two full-brothers to Fog of War – Invader, a $500,000 Keeneland September yearling who won the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes by 6 1/4 lengths, and Naval Intelligence (exported to Hong Kong and renamed Gold Chest), a stakes-winner in Great Britain and handicap winner in Hong Kong.
Fog of War's second dam Riskaverse is a multiple Grade 1 winner of $2,182,429. A stakes winner and Grade 1-placed at two, she captured the G1 Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes twice, the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes, and she won or placed in ten other graded events. At the 2005 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale the daughter of Dynaformer commanded $5 million as a racing/broodmare prospect.
This is the family of 2011 Horse of the Year and champion older mare Havre De Grace. Following her career, she was purchased as a broodmare prospect at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale for a record $10 million by Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm.
Chris Larsen commented, “I'm excited to partner with Peter Brant to bring Fog of War to stud in New York. This will give breeders access to the world's most successful sire lines Peter and I love, as well as taking advantage of the lucrative New York State breeder awards and restricted racing programs. We think Fog of War is destined to be New York State's great sire.”
Peter M. Brant of White Birch farm added, “Fog of War's win first time out at Saratoga and his Grade 1 victory in the “Win and You're In” Summer Stakes at Woodbine beating War of Will, showed us that he was our best colt of that crop and marked him as one of the clear favorites for the 2018 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf. Unfortunately, Fog bucked his shins and would not make the race but his undefeated 2-year-old campaign managed to show everyone his brilliant turn of foot and class. Fog of War has all the makings of a potentially high-class stallion with his conformation, pedigree and speed. I am so thrilled Fog will have the opportunity to be an exciting freshman stallion in New York and also allow White Birch Farm to be a new player in the New York State breeding and racing program.”
Fog of War stands as property of White Birch Farm Inc. and Three C Stables LLC with a stud fee set at $7,000, live foal stands and nurses. A limited number of lifetime breeding rights are available.
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