Brody's Cause, a grade I-winning 2- and 3-year-old by Giant's Causeway, has been retired from racing and will enter stud in 2017 at B. Wayne Hughes' Spendthrift Farm as the newest participant in the Share The Upside program.
"Brody's Cause ticks all the boxes in terms of the credentials needed to make a top sire," said Spendthrift general manager Ned Toffey. "He's one of the best-looking sons of proven sire of sires Giant's Causeway that you'll ever see, and he won prestigious grade I races at 2 and 3. We believe it's another terrific opportunity to get in on a stallion prospect with huge potential through our Share The Upside program, and we expect he'll be popular."
The Share The Upside fee for Brody's Cause will be $15,000 on a two-year commitment, and breeders will earn a lifetime breeding right beginning in 2019 after having two live foals and paying the stud fees. For breeders not interested in the Share The Upside program, Brody's Cause will be offered for $12,500 on a standard stands and nurses contract. Share The Upside opportunities are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis, according to Spendthrift.
Campaigned by owner Albaugh Family Stable and trainer Dale Romans, Brody's Cause captured his biggest victories in Keeneland's Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) at 2 and Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) at 3, joining Carpe Diem as the only two horses to win both of Keeneland's top races for 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds on dirt since Round Table in 1957.
Brody's Cause proved to be precocious and one of the leading juveniles of his crop. He broke his maiden at a mile at Churchill Downs in his first start on the dirt, before shipping to Keeneland to win the Breeders' Futurity just three weeks later. In the latter, Brody's Cause outkicked Exaggerator in the stretch to post a one-length victory over the eventual Preakness (gr. I) winner, running 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.27. He closed out his 2-year-old season with a fast-closing third in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) behind champion Nyquist.
As a 3-year-old, Brody's Cause became a millionaire with a powerful victory in the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass, streaking clear from a full field of 14 to win by 1 3/4 lengths and increased his earnings to $1,168,138.
Brody's Cause has taken up residence at Spendthrift and is available for inspection. A $350,000 yearling purchase, Brody's Cause is out of the multiple stakes-placed mare Sweet Breanna, and hails from the family of Secretariat and Cure the Blues.