Dorrance Retired to Stud at Merrick Ranches

Dorrance , a winning son of Distorted Humor  from a female family deep in graded stakes winners, has been retired to stud at Joe Merrick's Merrick Ranches near Sayre, Okla., at an introductory stud fee of $1,500.

The 4-year-old colt bred in Kentucky by Mt. Brilliant Farm was an attractive yearling that the breeder sold for $230,000 to Sonny Henderson at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Trained by C. R. Trout, Dorrance went on to win first time out by 4 1/2 lengths at Remington Park and later captured an $84,000 allowance optional claiming race at Oaklawn Park by 2 1/2 lengths over stakes-placed winner Jack Van Berg.

A sesamoid injury put the colt on the shelf, and following a successful surgery, Henderson expected Dorrance to return to racing. Further evaluation, however, led to a decision not to chance it, and the horse was retired this week.

Dorrance's proven ability at the track and his deep family convinced Henderson that the colt deserved a shot as a stallion. His dam, Apologize, is a full sister to three-time graded stakes winner Aurelia's Belle (Lemon Drop Kid ). Dorrance's second dam, Aurelia, is a half sister to grade 1 winner and graded stakes producer Aldiza and multiple graded stakes winner Atelier.

The female line traces to Courtly Dee, the 1983 Broodmare of the Year and the dam of champion Althea, grade 1 winners Ali Oop and Ketoh, and multiple grade 2 winner and sire Twining. Courtly Dee's daughter Foreign Courier is the dam of prominent English sire Green Desert.

"Distorted Humor has been a good sire of sires, and that bottom side helps things out a lot, too," Merrick said.

Dorrance is getting a late start in the breeding season because Henderson had been holding on to hope the colt would be able to prove more on the track. Even with Dorrance's introductory fee of $1,500, Merrick said special consideration will be given to breeders who send the stallion multiple mares or for mares with particularly impressive résumés.