War of Will

The European breeze-up sector prides itself as a source of quality, a notion that held particular weight in 2021 as graduates Native Trail (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) signed off their juvenile campaigns with victories in the G1 Dewhurst S. and G1 Middle Park S. Added to that, various graduates are currently more than holding their own at stud. This isn't a new development--older representatives such as Society Rock (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and Paco Boy (Ire) (Desert Style {Ire}) each sired Group 1...

Claiborne's been running an eye-catching ad on its two young sires War of Will (War Front) and Silver State (Hard Spun) that ties them to their illustrious Claiborne-based grandsire Danzig, under the heading, "The Danzig Legacy continues at Claiborne." What really hits home about this ad is that Danzig's legacy in North America is now limited to two stallions, Claiborne's War Front and Darley's Hard Spun, and their sons. In contrast, Danzig is a massive sire-line influence in Europe and Australasia through many different strains, led by Danehill but also...

Even last year, when doing so much to fortify breeders through the uncertainties of the pandemic, stallion farms appeared to price their rookies to squeeze the usual juice from the commercial market's greatest addiction. That was fair enough. Nowadays farm accountants can bank only on the most fleeting of vogues in drawing up a business plan for stallion acquisitions. And nor can we sensibly expect any slack now, pending the arrival of first foals and then a debut at the weanling sales next fall. A stallion has to be in...

13.40 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, f, 7fT Flaxman Holdings Ireland's SIERRA NEVADA (American Pharoah) is a Jessica Harrington-conditioned daughter of Listed Prix de Bagatelle victrix Visions of Clarity (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and thus a half-sister to MGISW GI Preakness S.-winning sire War of Will (War Front) and G1 Vincent O'Brien National S.-winning sire Pathfork (Distorted Humor). The homebred bay encounters a baker's dozen in this unveiling. 14.15 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, c/g, 7fT Coolmore and Westerberg's STAR OF INDIA (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}), one of two contenders representing Ballydoyle, is a...

War Front (Danzig--Starry Dreamer, by Rubiano) heads all Claiborne stallions in 2022 with a stud fee of $100,000. The 19-year-old stallion, who stood for $150,000 in 2021, was represented by 10 stakes winners, led by Group 1-winner Homesman and four other Grade I/Group 1 performers worldwide. He is the sire of 29 seven-figure yearlings over his career, and again showed his prowess in 2021 with a a $1.2 million filly. Standing alongside his sire at Claiborne is War of Will (War Front--Visions of Clarity {Ire}, by Sadler's Wells)), a winner...

He really had to earn his stripes, his farm resorting to pretty desperate measures to keep him in the game as his early books dwindled along with his fee. But he has long since vindicated (as well as virtually trademarked) that farm's management style, evolving into one of the great stallions of our time--a status on which he set a formal seal last weekend with his 100th stakes winner. And his name is... Into Mischief. Or is it? Hang on a minute. Syllable for syllable, you can say exactly the...

As we approach the end of the calendar, we turn our attention to the incoming sire class of 2021. We asked several judges who their favorite incoming sire is for next year and if there are any other stallions, new or otherwise, that have caught their eye as under-the-radar picks ADRIAN REGAN, Hunter Valley Farm  War of Will (War Front), $25,000, Claiborne Farm I hate singling just one, but War of Will made a lot of sense for me. I was very impressed with his physical appearance when we went...

Welcome to our annual survey of covering options in Kentucky for the forthcoming breeding season. As usual, we'll start with the rookies and work our way through the preceding intakes, before trying to eke out some value among the more established stallions. A wholly subjective exercise, clearly--so apologies if your fellow doesn't make our "value podium." Every farm is understandably sensitive about the reputation of its stallions, for whom opportunity can be so fleeting and about whom fashions can swell or fade on the flimsiest grounds. We'll do our best...

As we approach the end of the calendar, we turn our attention to the incoming sire class of 2021. We asked several judges who their favorite incoming sire is for next year and if there are any other stallions, new or otherwise, that have caught their eye as under-the-radar picks. JUSTIN CASSE Authentic (Into Mischief), $75,000, Spendthrift Farm  The easy answer to this is Authentic, based on the obvious. His connections, his accomplishments in the summer and fall, as well as his sire. He's the leader of the pack in...

As we approach the end of the calendar, we turn our attention to the incoming sire class of 2021. We asked several judges who their favorite incoming sire is for next year and if there are any other stallions, new or otherwise, that have caught their eye as under-the-radar picks. AIDAN O'MEARA, Stonehaven Steadings  Authentic (Into Mischief), $75,000, Spendthrift Farm  The horse we're most excited about this year is a bit of an obvious one, but it has to be Authentic. His sire has developed into the preeminent sire of...

War Front is undoubtedly heralded as one of America's top turf sires, but Claiborne's Bernie Sams said he finds any stereotype that the stallion is solely a grass producer is unjustifiable. "I think War Front has been labeled to some extent as a turf sire, but unfairly so because he got his start with dirt stakes winners," he said. "Then a lot of people started breeding to him and taking a lot of them to Europe. He probably is equally as good on dirt as he is on turf, if...

Classic winner and dual-surface multiple Grade I winner War of Will (War Front--Visions of Clarity {Ire}, by Sadler's Wells) has been officially retired and arrived at the Hancock family's Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky., Monday morning to prepare for the 2021 breeding season. War of Will will stand for $25,000 live foal, stands and nurses. Trained by Mark Casse for Gary Barber, War of Will burst onto the Triple Crown trail last year with consecutive wins in the GIII LeComte S. and the GII Risen Star S. before capturing the...