Airdrie Stud Secures Breeding Rights To Complexity; Announces 2021 Fees

Klaravich Stables, Inc's Complexity, the Daily Racing Form's morning line favorite for both the upcoming Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint and Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, will stand stud at Brereton and Elizabeth Jones's Airdrie Stud upon his retirement from racing.

Trained throughout his career by leading conditioner Chad Brown, Complexity earned TDN Rising Star status in his six-furlong 2-year-old debut at Saratoga when drawing off to win by 4 1/4 lengths in 1:09 3/5. Made the favorite for the historic Grade 1 Champagne Stakes in his second start, Complexity led every step of the way through fractions of 22 2/5, 45 1/5 and 1:09 2/5 en route to a dominant three-length victory. His final time of 1:34 3/5 trails only Uncle Mo – by .12 seconds – in the last 35 runnings of the stallion-making race, that also counts Jackie's Warrior, Tiz the Law, Scat Daddy, Daredevil, Union Rags, Maria's Mon, First Samurai, Dehere, Easy Goer and Forty Niner amongst its more recent winners.

While a quarter crack partially derailed his sophomore campaign, Complexity still managed to run one of the fastest Ragozin numbers of his three-year-old crop when earning a 3 in a dominant 7 1/4 length win against older horses at Aqueduct.

As a 4-year-old in 2020, Complexity has once again returned to top form. Following an impressive allowance victory over the talented Win Win Win at Belmont, Complexity set blistering fractions of 44 3/5 and 1:08 4/5 amidst a blinding rainstorm in Saratoga's G1 Forego Stakes. While he put away his rival pacesetters, it was Win Win Win that caught him in the final jumps after coming from last in the field.

In his most recent start, Complexity stamped himself as a Breeders' Cup favorite with a sensational two-length win over multiple Grade 1 winner Code of Honor in the G2 Kelso Handicap. His time of 1:33 4/5 was good for a 110 Beyer Speed Figure, marking the highest number earned by any horse at a mile or longer in 2020.

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, LLC, Complexity is sired by the hot young stallion Maclean's Music. His dam, Goldfield, counts three black-type horses from five to race including Valadorna, winner of the G3 Doubledogdare Stakes and a narrow second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. A $375,000 September yearling purchase by leading buyer Mike Ryan, Complexity was the most expensive yearling from any of the early crops of Maclean's Music.

Said his trainer Chad Brown: “Complexity is a very rare horse that has been number-one at every stage of his life. He was the most expensive yearling by his sire, the most highly regarded two-year-old at Stonestreet and, by far, our stable's best colt of his crop. He's an exceptional talent.”

Added Airdrie's Bret Jones: “We are extremely grateful to Seth Klarman and Chad Brown for the opportunity to stand Complexity. His resume is that of a sensational stallion prospect. He was a brilliantly precocious Champagne winner that has trained on to run the highest speed figure of any horse in America at a mile or more. He's by a truly ascendant sire that looks to have every chance to be important, he's from a top class Stonestreet female family, he was purchased by one of the all-time great judges in Mike Ryan and his talents are revered by one of the all-time great trainers in Chad Brown. Our hope is that he will be Mr. Klarman's next Breeders' Cup winner and we are committed to giving him tremendous mare support in working to make him a great Airdrie stallion.”

Complexity will stand for $12,500 S&N for any contract signed and returned before this year's Breeders' Cup.

Airdrie also announced the entirety of its 2021 fees.

“In keeping with what should always be the goal of any stallion farm, we feel we have priced our stallions where breeders have the opportunity to profit in the sales ring and help their mare produce Saturday horses,” Jones said. “We are extremely proud of our young roster that includes Cairo Prince, the leading third-crop sire by stakes winners, stakes horses, graded stakes winners and graded stakes horses; Upstart, who is currently the #1 first-crop sire in America by winners and is equaled only by Maclean's Music with his four 80+ Beyer performances by his 2-year-olds amongst all stallions; and Summer Front, who is outpaced only by American Pharoah and Constitution with three graded stakes winners from his first crop of 3-year-olds. All three of these leading young stallions began their stallion careers at a fee of $10,000 and we feel demonstrate the success that comes from the tremendous support they receive from Airdrie and our incredible, loyal breeders.

Our Grade 1 sires Creative Cause and Include have come from similarly humble beginnings to become successful, proven stallions and we could not be more bullish on our young roster that includes Collected, Preservationist, McCraken, American Freedom, Divisidero and, of course, our new stallion, Complexity,” Jones continued. “As always, we look forward to the upcoming season and helping the wonderful breeders that make our sport happen in any way we can.”

2021 Roster and Fees (all fees on Stands & Nurses terms*)

American Freedom – $6,000
Cairo Prince – $15,000
Collected – $17,500
Complexity** – $12,500
Creative Cause – $7,500
Divisidero – $5,000
Include – $5,000
McCraken – $6,000
Preservationist – $10,000
Summer Front – $10,000
Upstart – $10,000

*As in prior years, 5% discount applies for payment by Nov 1 of year bred, on LF terms

**New for 2021

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Spendthrift Farm Acquires Breeding Rights To Grade 1 Winner Jackie’s Warrior

B. Wayne Hughes' Spendthrift Farm has acquired the breeding rights to undefeated multiple Grade One-winning juvenile Jackie's Warrior, dominant winner of Saturday's Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont.

Jackie's Warrior has also captured the G1 Hopeful Stakes and G2 Saratoga Special Stakes at Saratoga after winning his debut earlier this summer at Churchill Downs. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the record-setting colt is a perfect 4-for-4 with earnings of $402,564 to date for owners Kirk and Judy Robison.

“Jackie's Warrior is proving to be one of the fastest 2-year-olds to come around in the last decade or more, and we are extremely excited to follow his racing career and witness the special things he can accomplish before he joins us at Spendthrift,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift general manager. “For such an imposing colt, Jackie's Warrior is extraordinarily athletic and light on his feet. We could not be more impressed by the way he continues to run good fields off their feet and pour it on late when he lengthens that beautiful stride of his. A month after lowering the 28-year-old stakes record in the Hopeful, he comes back and runs a mile in 1:35 in the Champagne and did not look the least bit tired at the wire. We are obviously very happy to be associated, and we wish Kirk and Judy Robison and the Asmussen team the best of luck in the Breeders' Cup.”

“Judy and I are very grateful to campaign this exceptional colt, and Spendthrift will give Jackie's Warrior every chance to be a leading stallion when his racing career is over,” said Kirk Robison. “Few do what he has done in four starts – four wins over three different tracks, three in graded stakes, two in historic Grade 1 races and recording a 100 Beyer speed figure in the Champagne Stakes. He is a lifetime horse and is just getting started. Steve Asmussen and his team have done an exceptional job in his development. We are excited to be part of his unlimited promise. Judy and I are pledging two percent of Jackie's Warrior's potential purse earnings from the Juvenile to New Vocations for their tremendous work in Thoroughbred aftercare.”

Jackie's Warrior dominated Saturday's Champagne with a front-running 5 1/2-length score, hitting the wire geared down in 1:35.42 for the mile. He earned a 100 Beyer for the win, marking the fastest Champagne since Daredevil in 2014.

Last month, Jackie's Warrior established a new stakes record in Saratoga's featured Hopeful, drawing off to an eye-catching 2 1/4-length victory. His final time of 1:21.29 for seven furlongs is the fastest in the last 28 years the Hopeful has been contested at the distance. Jackie's Warrior earned a 95 Beyer for that win, marking the fastest Hopeful since 2007, and his 100 & 95 Beyers are the two fastest by a juvenile so far in 2020. Jackie's Warrior becomes the first horse to pull off the Hopeful–Champagne double since Practical Joke in 2016, and first to win the Saratoga Special, Hopeful, and Champagne in New York since 2-year-old champion Dehere in 1993.

In June, Jackie's Warrior won on debut at Churchill Downs by 2 1/2 lengths, running five furlongs in 57.49. He followed up that effort with a three-length victory in the Saratoga Special, zipping six furlongs in 1:09.62. Jackie's Warrior has won his four starts clear by a combined 13 1/4 lengths, with an average margin of victory of more than 3 1/4 lengths.

“In this day and age, to win the Saratoga Special, Hopeful and Champagne in the fashion in which he did it is truly remarkable,” said Asmussen.

The Champagne was a “Win And You're In” for next month's $2-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland, where Jackie's Warrior figures to be one of the favorites.

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Preakness Winner War Of Will To Stand At Claiborne Farm Upon Retirement

Claiborne Farm has purchased an interest in War of Will, a dual surface Grade 1 winner and American classic champion.

The son of Claiborne's emerging sire of sires War Front scored his most recent victory in the July 10 Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland, going a mile on the grass. War of Will will stand at the Paris, Ky., farm upon his retirement from racing, Claiborne announced July 30.

“War of Will has an outstanding pedigree, and combined with his race record, he should be very appealing to breeders. He's a classic winner on dirt at three and a Grade 1 winner on turf at four, which places him in rare company,” said Claiborne's Walker Hancock.  “War Front is one of the most successful sires of his generation and there is no doubt he is becoming a sire of sires.  We believe War of Will has the capability to follow his father's success.”

To date, 4-year-old War of Will has earnings of over $1,796,000 and four graded stakes wins for trainer Mark Casse and owner Gary Barber.

“I am very proud to be standing War of Will at Claiborne alongside his famous father,” said Gary Barber. “War of Will has a special place in my heart having brought so much joy to me and my family. He is a once in a lifetime horse.”

In just his second career start, War of Will was introduced to Grade 1 level company, running a determined second in the Summer Stakes (G1) at Woodbine.

Coming off a maiden victory to end his 2-year-old campaign, War of Will kicked off his 3-year-old campaign brilliantly, with decisive back-to-back graded stakes victories going over a mile on dirt. With Tyler Gaffalione in the irons, the son of War Front easily bested subsequent Grade 1 winner Hog Creek Hustle and Group 2 winner Plus Que Parfait to take the G3 LeComte Stakes by open lengths. One month later, eventual Kentucky Derby winner Country House, and multiple graded stakes winners Owendale and Mr. Money proved to be no match for War of Will in the G2 Risen Star Stakes.

Following a contentious Kentucky Derby, War of Will became trainer Mark Casse's first classic winner with a triumphant victory in the Preakness Stakes.

In this year's Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland on July 10, War of Will moved into the prestigious group of dual surface Grade 1 winners. Going one mile on the firm turf, the now 4-year-old War of Will fended off Group 1 winner Without Parole and two-time Grade 1 winner Raging Bull.

“I've been fortunate enough in my career to be around a lot of good horses, but I have to put War of Will right there at the top. He has a special place in my heart,” said trainer Mark Casse. “He's a class act. There's a reason we call him 'WOW.' It's not just because of his initials. Everything he does is a 'WOW.' The way he looks. The way he trains, and his pedigree. I'm excited to see him go to Claiborne and follow in his father's footsteps. Our plan is to point towards the Woodbine Mile next, and then hopefully the Breeders' Cup.”

Bred in Kentucky by Flaxman Holdings, War of Will is out of the stakes-winning Sadler's Wells mare Visions of Clarity, who is a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner and Breeders' Cup Mile winner Spinning World. Visions of Clarity also produced Grade 1 winner Pathfork and multiple stakes winner Tacticus.

War of Will is just one of sire War Front's 21 Grade 1 winners. An international super sire on all fronts, War Front (Danzig – Starry Dreamer) has seven million-dollar earners and is quickly emerging as a sire of sires.

His sons include Grade 1 winner Declaration of War, who sired two-time graded stakes winner Silver Prospector and three-time graded stakes winner Decorated Invader; five-time graded stakes winner The Factor, the number-one fifth-crop sire of multiple Grade 1 winners, plus recent Grade 2 winner Factor This; Summer Front, a four-time graded stakes winner himself, sired recent Grade 2 winner Speaktomeofsummer and Grade 2-winning Kentucky Derby hopeful Ete Indien; and three-time Grade 1-winning champion Air Force Blue, who's first crop are now 2-year-olds, sired recent debut winner Beauty Queen.

War of Will's 2021 stud fee will be announced following the Breeders' Cup.

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Grade 1 Winner Tom’s d’Etat To Stand At WinStar Farm Upon Retirement

WinStar Farm has reached an agreement with Gayle Benson's GMB Racing to acquire the breeding rights to Grade 1-winning millionaire and leading Breeders' Cup Classic contender Tom's d'Etat.

“When my late husband, Tom, decided in 2014 that we were going to enter the horse racing business, the first place we came to was WinStar Farm to see their operation,” said Gayle Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans. “GMB Racing is extremely excited that our best horse, Tom's d'Etat, will begin his stud career with Kenny Troutt and his entire team at WinStar. We look forward to watching the second half of his career be just as successful as his first, and we know he will get that opportunity at WinStar. I am also eager to bring many of our mares from Benson Farm to breed to him in the coming years.”

By sire of sires Smart Strike, Tom's d'Etat won the 2019 Grade 1 Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs and is undefeated in two starts in 2020, both stakes. He registered a brilliant 4 1/4-length victory in the $500,000 G2 Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs June 27, earning a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure, and kicked off his seasonal campaign in April with an impressive late-charging win over Grade 1 winner and subsequent G1 Hollywood Gold Cup winner Improbable in the Oaklawn Mile Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Trained by Al Stall, Tom's d'Etat is a strapping bay who has emerged as one of the leading horses in training. Tom's d'Etat has compiled 11 wins, six of them in stakes, from 18 trips to the post, banking $1,627,272, and is on a four-win streak with his sights set on the G1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga for his next target.

“I have been honored to be able to train two great horses in Blame and Tom's d'Etat,” said Al Stall. “He has been brilliant winning four in a row, and I can't wait to lead him back over there in the Whitney.”

In winning last month's Stephen Foster in dominant fashion over multiple graded stakes winner By My Standards, Tom's d'Etat covered 1 1/8 miles in an eye-catching 1:47.30, geared down in the late stages. The final time came within a whisker of Victory Gallop's track and stakes record of 1:47.28 set in the 1999 renewal of the Stephen Foster. In winning his fourth consecutive stakes race in the Stephen Foster, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Classic, Tom's d'Etat secured a berth in this year's $7-million Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland Nov. 7.

Tom's d'Etat scored his biggest victory to date last year, winning the $600,000 Clark Stakes as much the best by 3 1/4 lengths. Before taking down the Clark and running a 104 Beyer in the impressive performance, Tom's d'Etat ran a 105 Beyer in winning the G2 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland by a widening 4 1/4 lengths, and he also scored in the 2019 Alydar Stakes at Saratoga, recording a 104 Beyer. All told, he has recorded nine triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures, eight of them consecutively, in his illustrious career.

“Tom's d'Etat has proven over the last two years to be of the highest quality,” said Elliott Walden, WinStar's president, CEO, and racing manager. “Eleven of his last 12 Thoro-Graph figures are negative numbers. He has nine triple-digit Beyers and eight in a row. He was .02 off the track record in his last start at historic Churchill Downs, and he won two of the best races in the country at 1 1/8 miles in the Stephen Foster and the Clark.

“Any way you slice it, he is top class,” Walden added. “He is the last great son of Smart Strike from the family of Candy Ride. We walked Speightstown into the stallion barn at age seven and Distorted Humor at age six. Hopefully, he will be another story we can tell how he defied the odds like them.”

Bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock, Tom's d'Etat was purchased by GMB Racing for $330,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September sale from the Hunter Valley Farm consignment. He is produced from the stakes-winning and multiple stakes-placed Giant's Causeway mare Julia Tuttle who is out of Candy Cane (ARG), a full sister to G1 Pacific Classic winner and leading sire Candy Ride (ARG).

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