Valiant Minister Tops Baoma's Florida Stallion Roster

Leading Florida freshman sire Valiant Minister   tops the Baoma Corp. stallion roster at Bridlewood Farm, near Ocala, Fla., at $5,000 for next year, the owner/breeder announced Nov. 15.

The 8-year-old son of Candy Ride   leads the freshman sire standings due largely to the performance of his dual stakes winner Outfoxed , who won the FTBOA Florida Sire Susan's Girl Stakes and Florida Sire My Dear Girl Stakes. Bred by Baoma and raced by LNJ Foxwoods, Outfoxed is out of the Kantharos stakes winner Savingtime and has earned $372,000 this year.

Baoma's roster for next year also includes half brothers Tunwoo   and Chitu  , who are out of the A.P Indy winner and multiple graded stakes producer Sea Gift.

Tunwoo, a 6-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro   and a freshman sire of 2022, will stand for $4,000 next year. His first yearlings this year were well received, with his top seller going to Karl and Cathi Glassman for $85,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales October Yearling Sale out of Stuart Morris' consignment. Trainer Eddie Plesa signed the ticket on the Glassmans' behalf for the filly that is a half sister to Outfoxed.

Tunwoo's seven OBS October yearlings averaged $34,357, which was the highest average among Florida-based sires represented at the sale. The stallion is standing for $4,000 next year.

Chitu  , a 10-year-old son of Henny Hughes, is a top five Florida third-crop sire with 34 career winners, which include stakes winner Foreman  and stakes-placed winners Lugamo  and Windy City Red . Chitu's fee remains at $3,500 for 2022.

An undefeated 2-year-old, Chitu won or placed four times out of five starts at 3. He was second in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) and won the 1 1/8-mile Sunland Derby (G3) in 1:47.88, the third-fastest time in the stakes' history, before starting in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), where he finished in mid-pack. Chitu also won the Damascus Stakes before finishing third in the Malibu Stakes (G1). He was retired with $597,800 in earnings.

Sea Gift is out of grade 3 winner Ocean Queen, who set a track record for 1 1/8 miles at 1:47.80 in the Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Derby (G3T). Besides Chitu and Tunwoo, the mare also has produced Baoma homebred and graded stakes winner Beautiful Gift , who won this year's Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) and was second in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2).