Stay Thirsty's First Winner Comes in England

Central Kentucky freshman sire Stay Thirsty   gained his first winner May 31 when Cheval Blanche won her debut in the first race at Redcar in England.

Stay Thirsty, an 8-year-old son of Bernardini  —Marozia, by Storm Bird, stands at Coolmore's Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky. for a 2016 fee of $10,000. He has 90 2-year-olds in his first crop, which includes Thirstforlife, who was third in the Kentucky Juvenile Stakes May 5 at Churchill Downs.

Racing for Mike Repole, Stay Thirsty won the 2011 Travers Stakes (gr. I) and Cigar Mile (gr. I) while compiling a 5-5-1 career line from 17 starts and more than $1.9 million in earnings. His record includes runner-up finishes in the 2011 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), 2012 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational (gr. I), and Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes (gr. I).

Mrs. J. M. Corbett and C. Wright's Kentucky-bred Cheval Blanche raced near the back of the 13-horse field early but was up in time for Jamie Spencer to prevail by a short head in the final stride. The final time for the six-furlong contest was 1:15.14 on good to firm turf.

The winner, trained by Michael Bell, was bred by Klawervlei Stud from the Giant's Causeway mare Primrose Hill, the dam of French group-placed Hug and a Kiss and two other winners. Primrose Hill, a daughter of grade I winner Marylebone, was purchased by Klawervlei Stud for $70,000 at the 2013 Keeneland November breeding stock sale with Cheval Blanche in utero. 

Cheval Blanche was a 65,000 guineas ($104,545) purchase by Richard Frisby Bloodstock at the 2015 Tattersalls October yearling sale, where Glidawn Stud consigned as agent after picking her up from Indian Creek's agency for $35,000 when she was a weanling at the 2014 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.