Curlin's 2024 Fee Rises to $250,000

Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa's marquee sire Curlin  , a two-time Horse of the Year and the leading North American sire by number of grade 1 winners in 2021-22, has had his stud fee bumped to $250,000 for the 2024 breeding season, which puts him even with the fee of multiple leading sire Into Mischief.

Curlin has been a stalwart among the top five of the general leading sires list by progeny earnings but at or equal to the leaders by number of graded stakes winners and grade 1 winners. In 2021, he was the leading sire with five grade 1 winners and tied with Into Mischief with 13 graded stakes winners for the year. In 2022, he led again with six grade 1 winners and was the third-leading sire by progeny earnings. Curlin and Into Mischief are again in tight contention for the leading sire by grade 1 winners, with Into Mischief at six as of Oct. 12 and Curlin with five. The BloodHorse leading sires lists do not include steeplechase races, but if it did then the two sires would be tied by grade 1 winners.

This year Curlin's top runners include multiple grade 1 winners Clairiere , Cody's Wish  , and Idiomatic . The sire also has been flattered by the second-crop success of his champion son Good Magic  , whose first 3-year-old crop included Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage .

Good Magic, who also stands at Hill 'n' Dale, had his fee increased to $125,000 from $50,000 last year. He is the leading second-crop sire with nearly $7.5 million in progeny earnings. Besides Mage, he's been represented by American Pharoah Stakes (G1) winner Muth  and graded stakes winners How Did He Do That  and Reincarnate . His son Blazing Sevens  also finished second in the Preakness Stakes (G1).

Army Mule  , a grade 1-winning son of Friesan Fire  , has had a strong year as well. He's tracking among the top five second-crop sires by progeny earnings and is tied in fourth by number of stakes winners with six through Oct. 11. With auction yearlings selling for up to $600,000, Army Mule's fee has been increased to $25,000 from $12,500 for 2023.

New to Hill 'n' Dale's roster for next year is grade 1-placed Loggins  , a son of Ghostzapper  , who was purchased for $460,000 for the Brad Cox Colts Group out of Denali Stud's consignment at Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale, its select yearling sale in New York.

Loggins won his debut Sept. 17 at Churchill Downs by 8 1/2 lengths and earning a 100 Equibase Speed Figure. He stopped the timer after running 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.87. Next out he finished a neck behind future 2-year-old champion colt Forte   in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland. Both colts earned a 102 ESF for their performances. Trainer Brad Cox said he had been anticipating a brilliant campaign at 3 but a physical setback derailed his racing career.

"He was cut out to be special," Cox said at the colt's retirement. "He was a precocious, fast 2-year-old that showed brilliance from day one. His race in the Breeders' Futurity may have been one of the most impressive races by a 2-year-old that season."

Loggins will enter stud at $7,500.

Forte, who won this year's Florida Derby (G1), is a son of top 10 Hill 'n' Dale sire Violence  . The sire has been represented by six graded stakes winners so far this year that also include Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2) winner Dr. Schivel , Gala Brand , Newgrange , Order and Law , and Raise Cain . Violence's fee has been increased to $60,000 from $40,000.