Top-level winner Hit The Road sold to stand in South Africa

Hit The Road, winner of the 2021 Grade 1 Frank E Kilroe Mile Stakes at Santa Anita, as been sold to stand stud at Ridgemont in South Africa.

Southern California-based trainer Dan Blacker confirmed the stud deal – facilitated by Craig Rounsefell's Boomer Bloodstock and Bradley Thoroughbreds – for the seven-year-old son of More Than Ready.

Blacker said: "He was my first Grade 1 winner. The horse means a lot to me personally and for his ownership group. We're really fond of the horse and we were keen to see if we could give him a chance as a stallion somewhere. 

"His profile wasn't particularly commercial for America, but he has a super pedigree, and one of the best stallions in South Africa is by More Than Ready.

"He's going to a beautiful farm, very prestigious, and the whole ownership group is very pleased he's going to have a great chance to make it as a stallion in another part of the world."

Out of the US Ranger mare Highway Mary, Hit The Road was bred in Kentucky by Fred W Hertrich III. His dam was unraced, but she is a half-sister to Group 1 winner War Command and Group 3 winner Naval Officer.

Blacker and Rounsefell found Hit The Road in Book 1 of the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where they purchased him privately for $160,000 after he initially failed to sell for $200,000.

Blacker trained Hit The Road for the partnership of D K Racing, Radley Equine, Taste of Victory Stables, Rick Gold, Tony E Maslowski, and Dave Odmark. He was a four-time stakes winner, winning stakes at ages two, three and four. The Kilroe and the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes were his most important wins.

Hit The Road retired with six wins in 19 starts, with earnings of $608,751.

Black said: "As a trainer, he was everything we want – a sound, precocious, talented, smart horse with a good pedigree. He was one of the smartest horses I've been around. He seemed to know what we were trying to achieve. He was so intelligent from his early stages. That's what I will remember the most about him."

Ridgemont's Craig Kieswetter confirmed Hit The Road was purchased in partnership with fellow leading breeders Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein, and will stand at the family's historic Robertson farm.

"The move to acquire this well-performed, high-quality-bred athlete is an exciting one as it has already proven very successful in this country, as Hit The Road is by the same sire as South African champion sire Gimmethegreenlight," Kieswetter said in an Instagram post. 

"All available shares were snapped up within hours and our thanks go, as always, to our fellow breeders who jumped in.

"I must also thank Jehan Malherbe, who once again was at the very forefront of continuing to push our breeding industry to new levels." 

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