2023 New Stallions | Horse Racing Free Tips

From Stallion Families, Early Voting and Jack Christopher New to Ashford

Among Ashford Stud's new stallions for 2023, two members of the Coolmore quintet boast standout sire-making families. GI Preakness S. hero Early Voting (Gun Runner – Amour d'Ete, by Tiznow) is out of a half-sister to perennial top sire Speightstown while Jack Christopher (Munnings – Rushin No Blushin, by Half Ours), a 'TDN Rising Star' who raced to three Grade I victories, is out of a half-sister to Darley's Street Boss.

Jack Christopher is also the first son of Munnings to join his sire at Ashford Stud. After carrying the Coolmore silks to a trio of graded stakes wins, Munnings stood his first five seasons at Ashford for under $15,000, but steadily produced one elite runner after another. A top 10 North American sire in 2022, Munnings will stand for his highest fee yet this year at $100,000 while his highest-earning son Jack Christopher is advertised at an introductory fee of $45,000.

“It's always very fulfilling when you have a stallion and are able to stand one of his sons,” said Ashford Stud's Adrian Wallace. “I think that is particularly true of a horse like Munnings, who was really a rags-to-riches story. He was a very fast horse over six and seven furlongs and I think you see that with a lot of the Munnings stock including Jack Christopher.”

Earning the 'Rising Star' nod with a 8 3/4-length debut score at Saratoga, Jack Christopher followed that effort with an easy win in the GI Champagne S. Owned in the partnership of Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud and Peter Brant, the Chad Brown trainee scratched from the GI Breeder' Cup Juvenile due to a shin problem, but returned to the track at three to remain undefeated in the GII Pat Day Mile S. and GI Woody Stephens S. He ran third in his lone defeat while stretching out in the GI Haskell S., but got back to his winning ways at seven furlongs in the GI H. Allen Jerkens in his final career start.

“The thing about Jack Christopher is that he's all about speed,” Wallace explained. “He was quick out of the gate. He could get to the front and dominate his races. He was also very tactical in the way he raced. Chad Brown is quoted as saying he's one of the fastest horses he has ever trained.”

“He is very like his sire Munnings,” he continued. “He's a balanced horse and a good mover. He's probably a better-looking horse than his sire, so if he can become as good a sire as Munnings, we'll be very happy.”

Jack Christopher's grandsire Speighstown jumps out on the pedigree of another new Ashford resident, Early Voting. The Classic winner was bred by Three Chimneys Farm and his dam Amour d'Ete is not only a sibling to Speightstown, but also to MGSW Irap (Tiznow).

Early Voting stands out among this year's class of incoming stallions as one of the first two sons of remarkably fast-starting sire Gun Runner to go to stud. Along with Early Voting, Gun Runner's six Grade I winners include Cyberknife, who will stand at Spendthrift Farm after making his career finale in the GI Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 28.

“With Early Voting being one of the first sons of Gun Runner to stand at stud, it's a huge privilege to be able to get his career off to a good start,” said Wallace. “Gun Runner is widely perceived as one of the best young stallions in America and now we're excited to stand one of his best sons. I think Early Voting has the size and balance of Gun Runner, but in many ways he looks like his damsire Tiznow. He's got the big hip and shoulder.”

On the racetrack, the Klaravich Stables-campaigned colt made a good impression in his winning debut late in his juvenile season and then returned to the winner's circle in the GIII Withers S. He ran second to future GI Belmont S. winner Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) in the GII Wood Memorial S. before scoring his signature victory in the GI Preakness S., where he earned a 105 Beyer as he defeated his eventual studmate Epicenter (Not This Time), a leading consideration for top 3-year-old of 2022.

“Early Voting had speed and he was able to carry that speed,” Wallace noted. “He also had great heart and there was no better reflection of that than his race in the Preakness. He ran a superb race that day. His speed took him to the front and he kept going. His form was very strong throughout the year and a horse like him has been very popular with breeders so far.”

Early Voting will stand for $25,000 and was awarded the silver medal on Chris McGrath's Value Podium for new sires in 2023.

Find our feature on Ashford Stud's other new residents, and more on this year's class of incoming stallions, here.

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Spendthrift Newcomers Feature Pair of Juvenile Stakes Winners

Spendthrift Farm has added four new stallions to their extensive roster for 2023. Of those, two carry the weighty distinction of winning a graded stake at two. Both precocious horses furthered their success on the racetrack after their juvenile campaigns.

Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo – Callingmissbrown, by Pulpit) took home a hard-fought win in the 2021 GII Remsen S. and went on to claim a Classic victory this year. His new studmate Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music – Unicorn Girl, by A.P. Five Hundred) came close to an undefeated season at two, but upped his game at three to be named Eclipse Champion Sprinter in 2021.

Jackie's Warrior's remarkable career highlighted by five Grade I scores started off with his domination of New York's juvenile division in 2020. Spendthrift's Mark Toothaker admits that ahead of the colt's stakes debut in the GII Saratoga Special S., their stallion nominations team was eyeing a different race contender. But after a call in to Steve Asmussen's assistant Scott Blasi, who said that Jackie's Warrior was the one they needed to look out for, they turned their attention to the bay son of Maclean's Music.

“The next thing you know, the horse does just what Scott said he was going to do and I'm on a plane headed up there trying to get a deal done,” Toothaker recalled with a laugh. “We were very fortunate to be able to get involved with him early.”

After his three-length win in the Saratoga Special, Jackie's Warrior established a new stakes record in the Hopeful and then earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure in his 5 1/2-length Champagne win.

“It takes a special 2-year-old to be able to do what he did,” Toothaker explained. “What was amazing was how big and strong he was. He is a heavily-muscled horse with a lot of bone. When you first saw him as a 2-year-old, you're thinking that this is the biggest kid on the playground.”

During his Eclipse-worthy sophomore season, Jackie's Warrior reeled off four graded stakes wins highlighted by the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S., where he went head-to-head with MGISW Life Is Good (Into Mischief). His four graded stakes wins at four included his fifth straight win at Saratoga in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H., where he became the first horse in the storied track's 159-year history to win a Grade I in three consecutive seasons.

Toothaker recalled visiting Jackie's Warrior one morning during Derby week ahead of the sprinter's win in the GI Churchill Downs S. The backside was hectic and the Asmussen team had several high-profile contenders entered for that weekend, but the quietly composed Steve Asmussen spent over half an hour talking about his superstar trainee.

“He was so proud that he had bought the horse for $95,000 at the Keeneland Sale,” Toothaker said. “He said, 'Tooth, where were all the experts? Did they all go to lunch when he sold?' He was very proud that he had picked out the horse for the Robisons, who are wonderful people. Getting to meet Kirk and Judy Robison and develop a friendship with them and their children and grandchildren over the last three years has just been amazing.”

Jackie's Warrior, the highest-earning son of Maclean's Music, will stand for $50,000 in 2023. The champion has been in high demand with breeders and has already amassed a high-quality book to kick off his stud career.

“I've had so many people come out to the farm and say that he might be the best one they've seen of all the new [stallions],” Toothaker said. “Almost every mare that he got was a stakes winner or a stakes producer, so he's going to get every opportunity.”

Spendthrift's Mo Donegal has been received by breeders with similar enthusiasm.

“We love to have sons of Uncle Mo because that is what our breeders want,” Toothaker explained. “Last year [Spendthrift sire] Yaupon was the second most-popular horse in North America. Mo Donegal is a big, stretchy horse. What I love about him is that even though he stands over a lot of ground at 16'2 and a half, he's got a beautiful frame on him and a really nice hip.”

Going two for three as a juvenile, Mo Donegal claimed an exciting edition of the GII Remsen S. when he battled future Grade I winner Zandon (Upstart) down the stretch and survived a stewards' inquiry to get the win by a nose. The Todd Pletcher pupil ran third in this year's GIII Holy Bull S. before adding a win in the GII Wood Memorial S. over eventual GI Preakness S. winner Early Voting (Gun Runner). In the GI Kentucky Derby, he drew the rail and raced 10 wide in the stretch to get up for fifth.

Mike Repole obtained a minority interest in Mo Donegal shortly before his Kentucky Derby bid and was rewarded in the colt's next and final start in the GI Belmont S., where he finished three length ahead of the runner-up, fellow Ashview Farm/Colts Neck Stables-bred Nest (Curlin), who is also co-owned by Repole Stables.

“I know that was a very special day for Mike and his family, the Lyster family and for Todd,” said Toothaker. “With Mo Donegal, one of the biggest factors for us has been that Mike Repole is our partner. Mike brings so much energy and when you've got a guy that buys 71 yearlings at the Keeneland Sale, that was a huge thing for us to know that we had his support like we have on Vino Rosso.”

One of Uncle Mo's top three leading earners along with fellow Classic winner Nyquist, a top third-crop sire this year, as well as champion Golden Pal, who is also set to begin his stud career in 2023, Mo Donegal will stand for $20,000. His dam Callingmissbrown, a daughter of GI Acorn S. victress and GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up Island Sand (Tabasco Cat), has produced two others winners including her 2-year-old daughter Prank (Into Mischief), who was named a 'TDN Rising Star' after her 9 3/4-length debut win at Saratoga this summer.

“For Mo Donegal to win a graded stake at two in the Remsen, which is a tough, grueling race at a mile and an eighth, but yet be able to do what he did as a 3-year-old in the Wood Memorial and top it off in the Belmont, it takes a very good horse to be able to do that,” Toothaker noted. “Mo Donegal was one of the absolute best of his class. It's a lot to offer breeders, especially for $20,000.”

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Regally-Bred, Grade I-Caliber Homebreds Join Darley Roster

Speaker's Corner (Street Sense – Tyburn Brook, by Bernardini) and Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper – Music Note, by A.P. Indy), both Grade I-winning homebreds for Godolphin, have joined the Darley America stallion roster for 2023.

The newcomers hail from impressive Godolphin families. Speaker's Corner, who will command an initial stud fee of $20,000, is out of a daughter of GI Breeders' Cup Distaff victress Round Pond (Awesome Again), while Mystic Guide, a 'TDN Rising Star' who will stand for $15,000, is a son of five-time Grade I winner Music Note.

“We couldn't be more excited to have Mystic Guide and Speaker's Corner join our stallion ranks,” said Darley Sales Manager Darren Fox. “Speaker's Corner is a horse that has been held in the highest esteem right from the get-go. In the mold of a lot of the Street Senses and Street Sense himself, he has a great mind. He wanted to train and was very straightforward. Mystic Guide was another one that showed a lot of talent from the start. [Trainer] Mike Stidham was high on this horse from the early days of his 2-year-old season, so it was very satisfying to see him live up to the potential and the esteem in which he was held from the early stages of his career.”

Trained by Bill Mott, Speaker's Corner broke his maiden as a juvenile at Belmont against a field of five additional future stakes winners. He made two trips to the winner's circle as a lightly-raced 3-year-old, but then blossomed at four when he cut back to a mile. The bay dominated in this year's GIII Fred W. Hopper S. and GII Gulfstream Park Mile S. before getting his signature victory in the GI Carter H., where he earned a 114 Beyer Speed Figure. Also in 2022, Speaker's Corner ran third behind Flightline (Tapit) and Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in the GI Metropolitan H. and second to Life Is Good in the GII John A. Nerud S. In 13 career starts, he collected seven triple-digit Beyers.

Out of the unraced Bernardini mare Tyburn Brook, Speaker's Corner is bred on the same cross as fellow Darley sire and Grade I winner Maxfield. The Street Sense-Bernadini mating also produced Godolphin's MGSW Shared Sense.

Fox said that the Speaker's Corner reflects the best of both sides of his pedigree.

“He has a good shoulder and good depth like we've come to know and expect from the Street Sense and Street Cry (Ire) sire line. He's a correct horse with plenty of quality to him and he has been extremely popular with breeders these past couple of months.”

Street Sense has been one of Darley America's top stallions in recent years, but from his early crops, his first five Grade I winners were all fillies. Now, the Jonabell Farm resident has the opportunity to make his mark as a sire of sires. In the past three consecutive years, he has had a new Grade I-winning son take up stud duty. Street Sense's leading earner McKinzie stands at Gainesway Farm and will be represented by his first yearlings in 2023, while Maxfield will see his first foals next year as his studmate Speaker's Corner begins his own stallion career.

Jonabell Farm's other new resident Mystic Guide has been a popular addition to Darley's roster. Fox said that much of the G1 Dubai World Cup winner's appeal is in his elite racing pedigree.

Mystic Guide's dam Music Note raced to Grade I victories in the Mother Goose S., Coaching Club American Oaks and Gazelle S. as a 3-year-old and then added the GI Ballerina S. and GI Beldame S. at four. The daughter of A.P. Indy is a half-sister to multiple Grade I winner Musical Chimes (In Excess {Ire}). Their second dam It's In The Air (Mr. Prospector) was a champion 2-year-old filly and a five-time Grade I winner.

“It is rare to have a stallion that is a direct son of an elite race mare like that,” Fox explained. “A lot of times a stallion may profile as being out of a winning or an unraced daughter of such a mare, but it is not often that you get an elite-performing stallion who is a direct son of an elite mare. This female family is so deep and there really is nothing but blacktype all the way down his pedigree page.”

On the racetrack, Mystic Guide followed in the footsteps of the many talented performers on his pedigree page. He earned 'TDN Rising Star' status in his second start as a 3-year old and later that year, scored his first stakes victory in the GII Jim Dandy. Also at three, he finished less than a length behind Happy Saver (Super Saver) in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S. and placed in the GIII Peter Pan S. At four, he earned a 108 Beyer in the GIII Razorback H. before going on to win the G1 Dubai World Cup.

That win marked the ninth Dubai World Cup score for Godolphin, but the first one earned from their U.S.-based racing stable. It was also the first winner outside of the U.S. for trainer Michael Stidham.

“For Godolphin to win the Dubai World Cup with a homebred and with a horse shipping over from the United States was extra special,” Fox said. “It was Michael Stidham's first time with a horse for Godolphin shipping to Dubai, so that was extra special for him to come away with the big win on his first attempt. Mystic Guide has done us proud at every step of his career and the Dubai World Cup was certainly the pinnacle of that.”

Fox added that he believes that Mystic Guide has all the qualifications to reproduce his own success on the racetrack with his future progeny.

“It's fair to say that Mystic Guide was bred for the dirt, being by Ghostzapper out of an A.P. Indy mare, and it was certainly very pleasing to watch him on the track. He had a very efficient way of going, a real daisy cutter action. He's a big, flashy chestnut with a good length of body and a good hip to him. He certainly looks like he has all the attributes to be a top dirt sire.”

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Mandaloun Picks Up Torch for Juddmonte USA

Representing a Juddmonte pedigree through and through, Mandaloun (Into Mischief – Brooch, by Empire Maker) carried Prince Khalid bin Abdullah's esteemed green, pink and white silks at the highest level of the sport during his racing career. A 'TDN Rising Star' on debut and the promoted 2021 Kentucky Derby winner, the homebred has returned to his birthplace at Juddmonte's American division to begin his stud career.

“For Juddmonte to bring in a horse like Mandaloun is very special,” said Aaron West, who joined Juddmonte USA this fall as Nominations Manager. “He was born and raised at the farm and got his early lessons here. Mandaloun reflects 40 years of work, and while there have been plenty of other horses along the way, to have a Classic-winning homebred here has always been the dream for Juddmonte.”

Seven years after Prince Khalid purchased his operation's American division in 1982, Juddmonte bought Queen of Song (His Majesty) for $700,000 in foal to Seattle Slew at the Keeneland November Sale. The Grade II winner was a full-sister to dirt Grade I winner and Classic sire Cormorant.

Queen of Song's stakes-placed daughter Aspiring Diva (Distant View) produced three stakes winners by Juddmonte sire Dansili (GB) in Irish Highweight Emulous (GB), Group victor First Sitting (GB), and Daring Diva (GB), the dam of blacktype winners Caponata (Selkirk) and Brooch (Empire Maker).

Trained by Dermot Weld, Brooch debuted at three and was undefeated in her first four starts including the G2 Lanwades Stud S. as a 4-year-old. Retired to stud back in Kentucky, Brooch produced Mandaloun as her second foal.

West reflected on Mandaloun's storied female family and said, “His pedigree is unique for us in that it's 11 generations of blacktype horses. In the first four generations on his female side, it's a Juddmonte mare to a Juddmonte stallion. It's a Classic dirt pedigree from the fourth generation all the way through now to Mandaloun.”

Making his juvenile debut going six furlongs for Brad Cox at Keeneland's fall meet, Mandaloun came from near the back of an 11-horse field to fight his way to a half-length victory and earn the 'Rising Star' nod. The next three finishers included future Grade III victor Bob's Edge (Competitive Edge) and 2021 GI Cigar Mile H. winner Americanrevolution (Constitution).

West points to that promising debut, as well as the GI Kentucky Derby and the GI Haskell–both of which Mandaloun was elevated to first place–as the colt's three most impressive races.

“You go down the list of the horses that finished behind him in the Derby–Essential Quality, Hot Rod Charlie, Midnight Bourbon–it's a who's who of that 3-year-old crop,” West said. “Then he came back in the Haskell to be right there and beat that same group again.”

Mandaloun's resume also includes the GII Risen Star S. and the Pegasus S. at three, plus the GIII Louisiana S. at four.

“He has always been the same horse that we have here today,” West said. “He was very sound throughout his career and is a classy individual with a good mind. He is easy to be around and always does his job. When you see foals like that and you start training them, you hope they turn out to be a horse like Mandaloun.”

Mandaloun will stand for an introductory fee of $25,000. He is one of four sons of leading sire Into Mischief to enter stud this year and is the only incoming stallion in Kentucky out of a mare by Juddmonte homebred Empire Maker, who passed away nearly three years ago. When Mandaloun got his first graded score in the GII Risen Star, he became the 24^th graded winner out of a daughter of the influential stallion.

The Into Mischief-Empire Maker cross has produced four additional stakes winners including Laurel River, another Juddmonte homebred who won the GII Pat O'Brien S. this year, and Grade III victor Center Aisle.

West said that Mandaloun reflects the best of both sides of his pedigree.

“He brings out the power and strength of Into Mischief with the elegance, stretch and scope of Empire Maker. He had the precocity and the ability to show speed and win early, as he did at six and seven furlongs, but then also stretch out and carry that speed a route of ground. He's a perfect blend of the two [stallions] and I think that has been the biggest selling point for breeders.”

Juddmonte has a roster of five stallions led by champion Frankel (GB) at Banstead Manor Stud in Newmarket, but Mandaloun will stand as the operation's lone representative in its stud barn in Kentucky for 2023.

Following a time of great loss for Juddmonte's American division after the death of Arrogate in 2020, but then an immeasurable loss for the Juddmonte dynasty in its entirety with the passing of Prince Khalid last year, Mandaloun represents the legacy of the many accomplished generations to go before him, as well as the next chapter in a renowned international operation's history, as he picks up the torch for Juddmonte USA.

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