Demarchelier to Stand at Claiborne Farm in 2020

Claiborne Farm announced Oct. 2 that Demarchelier  will join its stallion roster in 2020.

Purchased by Peter Brant's White Birch Farm for US$592,487 at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2017, Demarchelier has been brilliant from the start.

The regally bred son of Dubawi won his juvenile debut at Aqueduct Racetrack in a stretch duel with subsequent stakes winner and multiple graded stakes performer Seismic Wave. 

Demarchelier kicked off his 3-year-old campaign with a decisive allowance victory at Keeneland this spring, again going 1 1/16 miles on the turf, while defeating a field of 12 that included Award Winner, a graded stakes-placed half brother to multiple grade 1 winner Oscar Performance .

Testing graded stakes company for the first time, and stretching out to 1 1/8 miles, Demarchelier captured his third consecutive victory when he took the $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park. Despite getting bumped and forced six wide in upper stretch, he showed a remarkable turn of foot to close stoutly, battling Seismic Wave to the wire to win by a neck. Among those left behind were Henley's Joy and Social Paranoia, who went on to finish first and second, respectively, in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) in their next start.

The then-undefeated Demarchelier also raced among the deep field of 14 in the July 6 Belmont Derby Invitational, but after taking a bad step near the half-mile pole, he was placed under a protective hold and pulled up before finishing the race.

"Demarchelier had as much talent and turn of foot as any young turf colt I've trained to date," conditioner Chad Brown said. "He is outstanding-looking, precocious, and has a great mind. I will certainly be in the marketplace buying his offspring for years to come."

"I think a lot of people will be intrigued by his pedigree, but I really can't wait for people to see him. He's a very special horse. A real specimen," added Brant. "He could get a great grass horse certainly, but he also has the influences of great American sires such as Seeking the Gold and Mr. Prospector that could also result in some great dirt horses.

"Choosing Claiborne as the place to stand Demarchelier was a natural fit," he continued. "Not only are a lot of my mares there, but they also have a long history of success in making great sires with international appeal. We'll certainly be breeding a lot of our mares to Demarchelier."

Top sire Dubawi, who stands for Darley at Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket, is a classic winner himself and now ranks among the world's leading sires. Dubawi is the only British stallion to ever sire over 100 grade/group winners. His extraordinary record includes 16% stakes winners, 10% group/grade winners, seven champions, and 41 group 1 winners. Dubawi ranks second among the world's leading active sires by lifetime stakes winners, group winners, and group 1 winners, behind only Galileo.

Bred in Great Britain by Newsells Park Stud, Demarchelier hails from a stellar family. He is out of a full sister to Irish highweights Yesterday and Quarter Moon, who both competed in classic filly races.

Quarter Moon has produced a group 1 winner in Diamondsandrubies, victress of the Sea the Stars Pretty Polly Stakes (G1), and is the granddam of Eminent, a multiple group-winning colt by Frankel who placed in the Ranvet Stakes (G1) and QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes (G1).

Other prominent group 1 winners that appear under the third dam include Aussie Rules, Allegretto, Alborada, and Albanova.

Dubawi has proved to be a successful cross for this family, evidenced not only by the success of Demarchelier but also the success of group 1 winner Coronet, a filly out of Approach, a half sister to Aussie Rules.

Demarchelier is named after Patrick Demarchelier, a famous French fashion photographer who once served as the personal photographer to Princess Diana. Like his namesake, he flashed remarkable talent, as well as grit and determination, in his three victories. Along with a picture-perfect pedigree, he will offer breeders a unique opportunity.

"We're thrilled to add Demarchelier to our stallion roster," said Claiborne Farm representative Bernie Sams. "His name may be tough to say, but it's easy to see why we wanted him. He's the only son of Dubawi in Kentucky, he has grade 1 black type all over his page, he was undefeated in his first three races, and he looks the part. He took a bad step in the Belmont Derby that cut his career short, but that's not going to stop him from passing this incredible bloodline along in the breeding shed."

Demarchelier's 2020 stud fee will be announced shortly before or after the Breeders' Cup World Championships.