PARIS, Ky. – WAR OF WILL arrived at his new home at Claiborne Farm, on November 9th. He is taking in the new scenery and settling in nicely. You can now catch a glimpse of War of Will on Claiborne’s Stallion Tour.
The son of internationally-acclaimed sire War Front, War of Will captured the 2019 Preakness Stakes (G1) to become a classic winner on dirt. This year, he added a Grade 1 victory on turf to his record when he captured the Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes (G1) at Keeneland.
The four-year-old War of Will retired with career earnings of $1,881,803 and four graded stakes wins for trainer Mark Casse and owner Gary Barber. In addition to his two Grade 1 victories, War of Will also won the Risen Star Stakes (G2), LeComte Stakes (G3), and placed in the Summer Stakes (G1), Pennsylvania Derby (G1), and Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1).
This Dual-surface star will stand for $25,000 LFSN.
Claiborne releases 2021 Stud Fees
This week, the Hancock family’s Claiborne Farm announced stud fees for a number of their stallions that will stand at the Paris, KY-based farm during the upcoming 2021 breeding season.
Among 13 stallions, WAR FRONT leads the charge with a stud fee of $150,000. The internationally acclaimed son of Danzig and emerging sire of sires is North America’s #1 sire by percentage of lifetime stakes winners, graded stakes winners, and Grade 1 winners. In 2020, WAR FRONT has added three new Grade 1 winners to his record, bringing his lifetime total to 23, the most of any stallion in North America behind only Tapit with 27.
WAR FRONT’s most recent Grade 1 winners include Breeders’ Cup participants Civil Union and Halladay, as well as classic winner War of Will, who will stand alongside his sire at Claiborne Farm for the upcoming breeding season.
In the sales ring, WAR FRONT continued his reign among leading sires with yearlings commanding prices up to $1,050,000. On the racetrack, no other sire in North America has more Grade 1 winners than WAR FRONT in 2020.
“In these unprecedented times, we felt it would be irresponsible to raise or keep some stud fees the same as last year, despite our stallions having outstanding success in the sales ring and on the racetrack,” said Claiborne President Walker Hancock. “It is now more important than ever that we do what is best for the sustainability of our industry.”
Eclipse champion and three-time Grade 1 winner BLAME will stand for $30,000. Ranked among the top of his crop with 63 stakes horses and 30 stakes winners lifetime, his 16 graded stakes winners include Nadal, winner of this year’s Arkansas Derby (G1). Yearlings sired by BLAME have sold up to $400,000 this year.
FLATTER, the prolific son of A.P. Indy, will stand for $35,000. He has sired more than 100 stakes horses and 50 stakes winners lifetime, including recent champions West Coast and Avie’s Flatter. This year, his two-year-olds sold for up to $600,000, while yearlings brought up to $330,000 in the sales ring.
MASTERY, the undefeated Grade 1-winning son of Candy Ride (ARG), will remain at $25,000.The much-anticipated first yearlings by Mastery sold for $510,000, $450,000, $400,000 this year, with an average of $142,425.
CATHOLIC BOY and DEMARCHELIER (GB), who both stood their first seasons at Claiborne in 2020, will remain unchanged. CATHOLIC BOY, one of only three North American three-year-old colts in history to win Grade 1 events on both dirt and turf, will stand for $25,000. DEMARCHELIER (GB), the only son of top international sire Dubawi (IRE) standing in Kentucky, will stand for $5,000.
FIRST SAMURAI, the proven son of Giant’s Causeway, will stand for $15,000. He is the sire of undefeated two-year-old sensation Plum Ali, a Breeders’ Cup participant and winner of the recent Miss Grillo Stakes (G2). Yearlings by FIRST SAMURAI have sold for $260,000, $250,000, $240,000, etc. this year.
Click here to check out Claiborne’s full stallion roster and 2021 stud fees.
October Racing Report
BLAME: Blame Debbie earned her first score in graded stakes company after a hard-fought stretch duel with Always Shopping to win the G3 Dowager Stakes at Keeneland! ‘She’s a straightforward filly. She’s really tough and she’s game. She always gives it her best’ said breeder Tim Thornton of the 3-year-old filly.
IRONICUS: It was a huge month for Ironicus! 2-year-old bay colt Helium became his sires very first black type winner with a sharp victory in the Display Stakes at Woodbine on October 18th! The colt is now a perfect 2 for 2 for owner D.J. Stable and trainer Mark Casse after a debut win on September 27th!
RUNHAPPY: Runhappy registered another 2 winners in October, with Sheshappy graduating gamely at Keeneland for Gallery Racing and Call Me Happy leading a field of MSW’s at Charlestown gate to wire on October 16th!
WAR FRONT: Its been another great month for out super sire! Born and raised at the farm for owner Joe Allen, Civil Union got her G1 in the Flower Bowl at Belmont to become her sire 23rd G1 winner! Sleek Lynx (GB), a daughter of War Front out of G1 Canadian International winner Sarah Lynx became the latest 2-year-old winner with a MSW victory at Woodbine on October 17th.
IN OTHER NEWS: It was well worth the wait for Claiborne Farm & Phipps Stables PERFORMER, who made easy work of his return to the races since his win in the G3 Discovery last November! The chestnut son of Speightstown raced just off the pace before being allowed to stride past the frontrunners in mid-stretch to record his 5th win in 6 lifetime starts.
Claiborne Farm Stallion Tours
Claiborne Farm is open for tours year round! You can visit their website by clicking here to learn more about the tour itself, availability, and some changes we have made during these unprecedented times to make it as safe as possible for our stallion grooms and for our visitors.
Visitor Center protocol:
• The farm will provide hand sanitizer in the Visitor Center.
• The Visitor Center will be limited to 10 guests at a time.
• Employees and guests are encouraged to wear masks while in the Visitor Center.
• Credit card payments will not be handled by the cashier.
• Surfaces will be cleaned every hour or between tour groups.
• Food samples have been removed and apparel cannot be tried on.
Tour protocol:
• The farm is hosting modified group sizes to ensure social distancing practices can be managed.
• The farm requires that all guests wear a mask for the duration of the tour.
Claiborne Farm, a 100-year-old Kentucky tradition. ClaiborneFarm.com
Instagram @claibornefarm
Edited News Release
Photo of War of Will courtesy of Claiborne Farm
