Highly Motivated to Stand at Airdrie Stud in 2023

Airdrie Stud announced Nov. 15 that Klaravich Stables' multiple track-record setter Highly Motivated   will join the farm's stallion roster for the upcoming 2023 breeding season for an advertised fee of $7,500, live foal stands and nurses.

A son of perennial leading sire Into Mischief  , Highly Motivated was purchased by bloodstock agent Mike Ryan as a weanling on behalf of his owner for $240,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables bred the colt, who is out of the Warrior's Reward  mare Strong Incentive . 

Trained by four-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, Highly Motivated went 4-3-1 in 10 starts with earnings of $667,365. Known for his speed, he set a track record in blitzing 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.99 in the Nyquist Stakes as a juvenile in 2020 at Keeneland. His 96 Beyer Speed Figure represented the highest number of any 2-year-old that competed on the Breeders' Cup Championship weekend at Keeneland—a lineup that included eventual Eclipse Award winner Essential Quality   and Breeders' Cup speedster Golden Pal  . Highly Motivated's speed figures ranked him as one of the fastest juveniles of that year.

The next season he would stretch out in distance and run third in the 2021 Gotham Stakes (G3), second in the 2021 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) behind Essential Quality, and 10th in the 2021 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). 

His 4-year-old season this year was highlighted by a win in the Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) and a runner-up finish in the Phillip E. Iselin Stakes (G3), both at Monmouth Park. His 1 1/8-mile time of 1:46.53 in the Monmouth Cup broke the track record set 37 years prior by Kentucky Derby winner and 1985 Horse of the Year Spend a Buck.

Highly Motivated retired from racing due to an injury after recording breezes through Oct. 23.

"Highly Motivated was the best colt in our barn at 2 and 3 and ran grade 1-winning numbers at both ages," Brown said. "He's a two-time track record- setter by one of the best stallions in the world. In my opinion, there's not a ceiling on his potential at stud."

"He's an undeniable talent by a brilliant sire," Airdrie's Bret Jones added. "He's an absolutely gorgeous Mike Ryan purchase that we believe will be on anyone's short list of the best-looking horses retired this year. Highly Motivated fits the description of so many important sires: a horse with grade 1 speed that goes to stud without the benefit of a grade 1 on his resume. He deserves the opportunity, and we will see that he gets it. Having given us the chance two years ago to stand Complexity, we are again grateful to Seth Klarman for entrusting our Airdrie team with the future of his talented horse."