Ohio breeders will have their first chance to breed to a Grade 2-placed juvenile star sired by Pioneerof the Nile when his top-class son River Dancer commences stallion duties at Burke Byer's Byerpatch Farm in Lebanon, Ohio in 2021.
River Dancer brings to Ohio breeders a unique opportunity to breed to—and to acquire a lifetime breeding right to–an extremely talented 2-year-old sired by a proven sire-of-sires and leading sire himself.
Breaking slowly in his debut River Dancer recovered to post a resounding win at Belmont Park. His impressive time of 1:09 4/5 for six furlongs was accomplished with an electrifying :23 final quarter mile.
For his second start he was entered in the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga against more seasoned 2-year-olds. Caught in a traffic jam on the backstretch he roared home with another final quarter mile in :23 to finish second to Bashart.
His ecstatic owners saw in River Dancer a genuine Breeders Cup Juvenile contender, but that joy was short-lived as their rising star stepped in a hole while pulling up. Diagnosed with a severe rupture in his hind suspensory ligament, he was vanned off the track.
River Dancer was weighted at 112 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for these two brilliant performances.
Rather than retire River Dancer to stud his owners elected to bring him back to the races after a 27 month hiatus. He placed once at seven furlongs (in 1:21 4/5) in several starts as a 5-year-old while still bothered by his 2-year-old injury.
River Dancer's unquestioned talent coupled with his stellar pedigree creates for Ohio breeders a unique breeding opportunity.
River Dancer aims to join fellow sons of leading sire Pioneerof the Nile, including American Pharoah and Cairo Prince, whose graded stakes performances as 2-year-olds previewed their later success as stallions.
America's leading second-year sire American Pharoah has already sired two Grade 1 winners. America's leading third-year sire Cairo Prince sired the 2020 Grade 3 Ohio Derby winner Dean Martini.
Two Grade 1 stakes-winning sons of Pioneerof the Nile – champion Classic Empire and Grade 1 winner Midnight Storm – will have their first crops at the races in 2021. Yearlings by Classic Empire sold up to $375,000 this year while Midnight Storm yearlings sold up to $200,000.
“We are very happy to stand this high-class son of a proven sire of sires at Byerpatch Farm,” said Byerpatch Farm owner Burke Byer. “My father bred many good racehorses at this farm and we expect River Dancer to carry on this tradition for us. We set a very reasonable stud fee for him and are offering breeders another great incentive by awarding a free lifetime breeding to River Dancer after four seasons are purchased. I believe River Dancer will become a leading Ohio stallion.”
The handsome 16.1-hand River Dancer will stand at an introductory stud fee of $1,500 live foal. Additional mares will be covered for $1,000 each. A 10 percent booking fee applies to each mare.
Breeders automatically earn a free lifetime breeding right to River Dancer after four stud fees have been paid.
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