Grade 1 Winner Art Collector to Stand at Claiborne Farm

Art Collector , a grade 1 winner with more than $2.3 million in earnings, will stand at Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky., upon his retirement from racing.

A 5-year-old son of Bernardini , Art Collector has won has won 10 of 20 starts at a variety of distances and surfaces for owner/breeder Bruce Lunsford, highlighted by a front-running victory in the 2021 Woodward Stakes (G1). He raced first or second at the first point of call in eight of his 10 wins.

"We are thrilled to stand another exciting stallion prospect for longtime client Bruce Lunsford," said Claiborne's Walker Hancock. "Art Collector has the qualities we look for in a stallion and we believe he will be very well received among breeders upon his retirement from racing."

Art Collector has won graded stakes races each year from ages 3-5. He entered national prominence following a four-race winning streak during his 3-year-old season with trainer Thomas Drury Jr., highlighted by a 3 1/2-length victory in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland over eventual Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Swiss Skydiver . He also led at every point of call in the listed Runhappy Ellis Park Derby to win by 3 1/4 lengths.

At 4, Art Collector was moved to the barn of trainer Bill Mott and went on another winning streak, starting with a front-running score in the listed Alydar Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. He then drew off to win the Charles Town Classic (G2) by 1 1/2 lengths.

Art Collector's 2021 summer campaign culminated with a 1 1/2-length triumph in the Woodward at Belmont Park, where he led at every call to defeat grade 1 winners Maxfield   and Code of Honor  , as well as classic-placed Dr Post  and grade 3 winner Forza Di Oro . 

Art Collector's 5-year-old campaign displayed that same consistency, again tallying victories in the Alydar and Charles Town Classic. 

He earned a career-best 107 Beyer Speed Figure in the Woodward; one of his seven 100-plus Beyer efforts. Art Collector earned a 121 Equibase Speed Figure in the 2021 Charles Town Classic and a 120 in the Woodward.

Art Collector is out of the grade 1-placed stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Distorted Legacy . A fee will be announced for Art Collector at a later time.

Claiborne Farm Announces 2023 Stud Fees

The Hancock family's Claiborne Farm has announced 2023 stud fees for its stallion roster.

The roster is led once again by the internationally-regarded War Front  . This son of Danzig continues to be an elite source for success on the racetrack and in the sales ring, led by 11 stakes winners in 2022, including Annapolis , recent winner of the Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland. War Front's consistency at the sport's highest levels has few rivals, boasting 11% lifetime stakes winners. His 2023 stud fee has been set at $100,000.

War Front's reputation as a sire of sires continues to grow, and that legacy expands at Claiborne Farm with Preakness Stakes (G1) winner War of Will  , whose first weanlings will be on offer at this year's fall breeding stock sales. The multiple grade 1 winner will stand his third year at stud for $25,000.

Champion racehorse Blame   has emerged as one of North America's premier broodmare sires, highlighted by this year's Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland, where winner Forte  and runner-up Loggins  were both out of Blame mares. Blame leads all broodmare sires by percentage of black-type winners, black-type horses, and graded stakes horses. On his own accord, Blame is responsible for 42 lifetime stakes winners, including five grade 1 winners. He will stand the upcoming season for $25,000.

Silver State   will stand his second season at stud for $20,000. The grandson of Claiborne sire Danzig won six consecutive races spanning 2020 and 2021, culminating with the Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) while defeating 2021 Horse of the Year, Knicks Go  . He retired with more than $1.9 million in earnings. 

Champion sprinter Runhappy   will stand for $15,000 after a season that saw him send grade 1-placed Smile Happy  to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) from his second crop of runners. His five black type winners in 2022 is among the highest of this year's third-crop sires.

Dual-surface grade 1 winner Catholic Boy   will stand for $15,000, while the regally-bred son of Dubawi , Demarchelier  , will stand for $5,000. Both stallions will have first-crop 2-year-olds running in 2023.

Mastery  , the sire of recent Zenyatta Stakes (G2) winner Midnight Memories , will stand for $7,500. Lea  , who sired Futurity Stakes (G3T) winner Nagirroc  and multiple-stakes-winner Poppy Flower , will stand for $5,000.

(All stud fees payable Live Foal Stands & Nurses)