Anchor & Hope Drops Stud Fees Across Its Roster

Anchor & Hope Farm, near Port Deposit, Md., has reduced the 2021 stud fees for all four of its stallions.

"In an effort to support the breeding industry in challenging times, we want to do our part for the people who keep this industry alive: the small breeder," farm owner Louis Merryman. "The decline in mares bred nationally and locally has been on our radar, and now combined with the economic impacts of COVID-19 we recognize we all need to do our part to sustain the industry. Our hope is the reduced stud fees will make breeding more feasible for large and small operations alike."

Established sires Bourbon Courage  and Imagining  will each stand for $2,000. Bourbon Courage is represented by multiple stakes winner and multiple graded-placed Double Crown this year and is the leading Maryland second-crop sire by cumulative number of black-type stakes horses (five) and is the leading second-crop sire for the Mid-Atlantic region by cumulative percentage of black-type horses from runners (10.9%) among sires with more than 10 runners. Imagining, showing versatility in both dirt and turf runners, is represented by multiple stakes winner Monday Morning Qb.

Holy Boss  and Long River  will each stand for $1,000. Holy Boss will be represented by his first runners in 2021 and Long River will have yearlings of 2021.

"Both of these horses offer so much to the Mid-Atlantic region. Holy Boss is stamping his foals with a consistent quality and we are excited for his first crop to get to the track. Long River has a classic pedigree and class to match, plus he won his grade 1 Lasix-free, which should figure prominently in the changing medication rules," said Merryman, referring to the son of A.P. Indy's win in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Sponsored By Emirates Airline (G1) at Meydan Racecourse.

The reduced stud fees will be subject to availability and reassessed as market conditions improve.