Sky Kingdom Sold, Will Be Relocated to Ohio

Multiple graded stakes winner and third-crop sire Sky Kingdom  has been sold to Ohio owner/breeder Gigi Chiandussi and will stand alongside Itsmyluckyday  this year for $2,000.

"We need proven sires in Ohio. It is so important to have stallions that can sire stakes horses," said Chiandussi, who was active in international dressage competition on German Warmbloods prior to attending her first Thoroughbred auction six years ago.

She acquired grade 1 winner Itsmyluckyday, her first Thoroughbred stallion, in September 2019 and had a solid 2020 breeding season with him, covering 42 mares—the most among all Ohio stallions. The strong response from breeders motivated Chiandussi to start shopping for another stallion.

"I have a good stallion, but I want to keep raising the bar in Ohio, and I wanted to give breeders a choice," said Chiandussi, who retained bloodstock agent Jim Perry to start looking for stallion prospects back in November. She said she was thrilled to find Sky Kingdom available because he's a son of sire of sires Empire Maker and his second dam is a grade 1-placed full sister to leading sire A.P. Indy.

"You have to love his strong pedigree," she said. "He's also a good distance horse, which is a good option for breeders in Ohio and Pennsylvania."

Sky Kingdom became a winner at 2 and won his first graded stakes at 4 in the Tokyo City Cup Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park. He won the American Flag Stakes at 5 and captured another edition of the Tokyo City Cup at 6. He also placed in the Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap (G1), three editions of the Cougar II Handicap (G3), and the Brooklyn Invitational Stakes (G2). Sky Kingdom retired with a 6-2-4 record from 21 starts and earned $532,122 for owner Westrock Stables.

Westrock launched Sky Kingdom's stud career at Darby Dan Farm. As a stallion, he's sired 24 winners from 49 starters year to date, which include four black-type performers. His best runner to date is multiple stakes winner Australasia, who is undefeated in three starts and already won two stakes this year—the Jan. 12 Louisiana Jewel Stakes and the Feb. 10 LA Bred Premier Starlet Stakes, both at Delta Downs. Sky Kingdom also is the sire of winner Wrecking Crew, who was second in the Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1) and Best Pal Stakes (G2) and third in the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

Bloodstock agent Jamie LaMonica negotiated the deal on behalf of Westrock, which retained some breeding rights to 12-year-old Sky Kingdom, according to Chiandussi.

Sky Kingdom and Itsmyluckyday both stand at Dr. Robert Maro's Maro Veterinary Services, which is off McCartney Road east of Youngstown, Ohio.