Curlin the king of Keeneland as popular sire reaches pinnacle of stud career

Although he is 15 years old and long ago scorched across racetracks with blazing strides that complemented his fiery colour, burning records along the way, Curlin seems to just now be receiving the respect that a horse of his achievements would deserve.

With the first two sessions of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale over, the son of Smart Strike is the sire of three individuals to command over $1 million each, including the sale-topping colt bought by Godolphin on Tuesday for $4.1m, the highest price at the auction since 2010.

Overall in 2019, Curlin has sired six seven-figure yearlings at the premier Fasig-Tipon Saratoga and Keeneland sales, exactly twice the number of his nearest American-based rival, Tapit, with the trio of War Front, Medaglia D’Oro and the late Pioneerof The Nile each having two.

Remarkably, that tally of six up to Tuesday exceeds the five yearlings Curlin had sired from his previous eight crops that were sold for at least $1m at those venues, and the stallion still has 13 more yearlings ready to go through the ring in Wednesday’s concluding session of Book 1.

Now based at John Sikura’s Hill 'n' Dale Farms after beginning his career at Lane’s End, Curlin has earned distinction as the foremost Classic influence among active American stallions with his sons including Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice and Preakness hero Exaggerator, as well as four others who have been Classic-placed.

With rising appreciation of his value, as expressed by a stud fee that has skyrocketed from $25,000 in 2014 to $175,000 this year and by the quality of mares in his recent books, Curlin may just be reaching the pinnacle of his stud career.

Barbara Banke: visiting young stock by Curlin while on her trip to KeenelandCredit: Keeneland Photo

The next chapter in his life may involve expanding his horizons to European racing, predicted Barbara Banke, owner of Stonestreet Stables, which raced Curlin to two American Horse of the Year titles and all-time record earnings at his retirement of $10,501,800 and which still holds a majority ownership interest.

"That’s the next frontier for Curlin," Banke said, referring to Europe, while celebrating the sale of the Stonestreet-bred colt out of New Zealand champion Bounding to Sheikh Mohammed for $4.1m.

After watching the Godolphin team, including trainers Charlie Appleby, Saeed bin Suroor and John Gosden as well as former trainer David Loder, war with the Coolmore contingent over the colt, Banke foresees international racing as a likely possibility for the sale topper.

"I know Aidan [O’Brien] had loved him, and in talking with David Loder, I believe the sheikh loves him too, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the colt goes to Europe. They have access to wonderful trainers over there. I wouldn’t mind seeing that, of course.

"His dam’s half-brother [Anthony Van Dyck] won the Derby in England this year, so he could go anywhere," she noted, adding that if Curlin progeny can be successful in major turf racing, "that would be very gratifying."

Banke said she considers Curlin "a family member" and has sent him her best mares, a lead that Sikura has followed with the Hill 'n' Dale broodmare band. Among the mares that Banke bred to the stallion this year was European champion Lady Aurelia.

Regretfully, Lady Aurelia did not get in foal but Banke said she will send the daughter of Scat Daddy back to Curlin next year.

"Sometimes that happens with these racemares," Banke said of Lady Aurelia’s missed opportunity for a pregnancy. "But this gives her a chance to grow up a little bit more. We’ll breed her again early next year.

"I want the best mares for Curlin, I want to see [the progeny] do the best on the track,” Banke declared. "I want to produce those Classic winners for many years to come."

Banke’s late husband, Jess Jackson, always believed Curlin could be successful on turf, an idea Banke fully supports. The only time Curlin raced on grass, after not even training on the surface, he finished second to Breeders' Cup Turf winner Red Rocks in the Grade 1 Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park, she noted.

After buying Bounding for A$1.9m at the 2016 Magic Millions National broodmare sale, Banke bred her to Curlin, combining the champion sprinting mare’s speed on grass with Curlin’s stamina over dirt that propelled him to his wins in the Preakness, Breeders’ Cup Classic and Dubai World Cup.

The $4.1m Curlin colt out of Bounding sold to GodolphinCredit: Keeneland photo

She described Bounding, an Australian-bred daughter of Godolphin’s stallion Lonhro, as "spectacularly beautiful," and Curlin as a stunning masculine rock of a horse. He stands about 16.2½ hands and weights approximately 1,450 pounds, according to Hill 'n' Dale stallion manager Larry Walton.

The resulting bay colt from the Curlin mating to Bounding was the most outstanding Curlin colt Stonestreet brought to auction this year, Banke said.

"The market is very strong for a very good horse and this was a very good horse. We thought he was our best. I brought all my colts [to market] except for one and that’s a son of Rachel’s Valentina, which is a special sentimental favourite," she said, referring to the Grade 1-winning daughter of Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra.

"We want to preserve that line at home," she added, noting Rachel Alexandra’s difficulties in producing foals that have limited her to only two offspring.

"I brought them all [of the other Stonestreet Curlin colts], but this was the one I loved the most," Banke said. "The colt is beautiful, with a real good head on his shoulders. He never does anything wrong. He’s just been perfect since day one.

"Curlin is having a wonderful sales year and this should really take him over the top."

Banke is spending part of her time during the September sale inspecting Curlin foals and yearlings produced at other farms so she can stay informed as to what the horse is siring for the years ahead.

She planned to visit Spendthrift Farm on Thursday to see champion Beholder’s 2019 filly by Curlin and she visited champion Judy The Beauty’s colt foal on Tuesday morning, which she described as "awesome".

At Stonestreet, she confided she has a 2019 brother to Curlin’s champion son Good Magic who is so appealing that he has been nicknamed "Gooder" and "we will continue to send him our best mares".

Other breeders also are sending their best, which is evident by the quality of the Curlin yearlings at Keeneland. In Wednesday’s session, for a just a few examples, are hip 428, a colt out of Grade 1 winner Got Lucky; hip 431, a colt who is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Mo Town; and hip 476, a filly out of Galileo’s stakes-winning daughter Kind Of Magic and from the family of Henrythenavigator.

There is also hip 489, a colt out of a stakes-placed half-sister to Grade 1 winners Verrazano and with four other Grade 1 winners on the catalogue page including Curlin’s son Keen Ice; hip 508, a filly out of Grade 1 winner Love And Pride; and hip 515, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Denman’s Call out of a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Evening Jewel.

During the 2019 breeding season, Curlin covered Triple Crown winner Justify’s dam Stage Magic and she is in foal, Sikura said.

"We think that the best is yet to come; Curlin really is just now into the heart of his stallion career," Sikura added. "Let’s hope that he’ll continue to do great things."

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