World of Trouble Sold to Brazilian Breeders Group

Dual-surface grade 1 winner World of Trouble  , a 9-year-old son of Kantharos  , has been sold to a consortium of Brazilian stud farms, according to a report by Turf Diario and confirmed by John Sikura, president of Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, where the stallion entered stud.

World of Trouble began his career with trainer Kathleen O'Connell first for owner/breeder Darsan and then with owner Michael Dubb. In his debut at 2, the colt won a 5 1/2-furlong maiden claiming race on the main track at Gulfstream Park by 14 lengths. He became stakes-placed in his second start as part of Dubb's stable with a second by a half-length in the FTBOA Florida Sire Affirmed Stakes.

By his third start in the Pasco Stakes, which he won by 13 3/4 lengths at Tampa Bay Downs, World of Trouble was with embattled New York trainer Jason Servis. The horse raced through June of his 4-year-old year when he won the Carter Handicap (G1) on the main track at Aqueduct Racetrack and the Jaipur Invitational Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park.  Between these grade 1 wins, he added a victory in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) at Churchill Downs to his résumé.

World of Trouble finished second in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) by a neck to Stormy Liberal . He compiled a 9-2-1 record from 13 starts and earned $1,263,300. A foot bruise derailed plans to race World of Trouble in the 2019 Breeders' Cup World Championships, so he was retired.

World of Trouble's promising stud career, launched in 2020, got scuttled by the indictment of Servis March 9 of that year on charges related to performance-enhancing drugs. In December 2022, Servis pleaded guilty to two crimes, a felony and a misdemeanor, for violating misbranding laws regarding a compound called SGF-1000, the bronchodilator clenbuterol, and for a more potent version of clenbuterol. He was sentenced to four years in prison.

The association to Servis chilled breeders' interest in World of Trouble, prompting Sikura to issue an open letter to breeders in January 2021 that defended World of Trouble's natural abilities as a racehorse.

"If someone does something wrong, then they need to be punished," Sikura wrote in his letter. "If you willfully cheat, then you need to be thrown out of the sport, but this horse has been unfairly punished; to effectively burn him at the stake is unfair."

In his letter, Sikura noted that World of Trouble's winning debut by open lengths was with O'Connell and was a common feat among many successful sires. Hill 'n' Dale stallions Curlin   won first out by 12 3/4 lengths, Kantharos by 11 3/4 lengths, Ghostzapper   by nine lengths, and Maclean's Music   by 7 1/4 lengths. He also noted that World of Trouble's improvement at 4 mirrors the trajectory of other successful horses in the pedigree. Half brother Money Or Love  was a stakes winner at 5. Bucchero  , a son of Kantharos out of World of Trouble's second dam Meetmeontime, won the Woodford Stakes (G2T) at 5 and 6.

"I would suggest maturity was responsible for this progression, not performance-enhancing drugs," Sikura wrote.

Sikura told BloodHorse Oct. 11 World of Trouble never got traction as a stallion since the indictment and that his reputation never recovered despite being a useful sire. The stallion sired 129 foals of racing age out of four crops that included 46 winners. His best runners to date include stakes winner Touch of Trouble  and stakes-placed winners Shea D World , Barbsdreamcometrue , and No Trouble .

"It was a great disservice to the farm and our shareholders that the Servis controversy caused the horse to be shunned," Sikura told BloodHorse. "I understand the reluctance by breeders, and we turn the page."

World of Trouble now stand at Rio Iguassú in the Tijucas do Sul area of Brazil. He is owned by a consortium headed by Rio Iguassúm, Cifra, and Palmerini stud farms. The acquisition is being called a notable acquisition for Brazilian breeders who value speed on turf.