Sahara Sky to Stand in Indiana
Image:
Description:
Sahara Sky winning the 2013 Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I).
Grade I winner and millionaire Sahara Sky has been retired and will enter stud at Kerry and Leigh Ann Hopper's R Star Stallions near Anderson, Ind. He will stand for a $4,000 fee.
The 8-year-old son of Pleasant Tap—Seeking the Sky, by Storm Cat, is co-owned by trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, Kim Lloyd, and MB Stallions. Lloyd saw Sahara Sky at Jeff Hebert's farm near Vinton, La., and purchased him privately with Hollendorfer.
Sahara Sky was bred in Florida by Eddie Martin, who owned Martin Stable at the time and now manages the trust that owns MB Stallions.
"I kept in touch with this horse because he stood out among his peers from day one," Martin said. "I wanted to be sure he stayed in North America."
Sahara Sky transformed into an exceptional runner at 5. His debut in 2015 was a win in the six-furlong grade II Palos Verdes Stakes, which he captured in 1:07.73 and earned a 0 Ragozin speed figure. He would go to win the seven-furlong San Carlos Stakes (gr. II) in 1:21.21, and earned a 115 Equibase Speed Figure while finishing second in the grade I Carter Handicap. He capped off the year by defeating Cross Traffic in the Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) in 1:34.12 and earned another triple-digit Equibase Speed Figure of 110.
He compiled a 8-4-5 record out of 27 starts and retires with $1,181,583 in earnings.
Sahara Sky's dam is a grade III winner and a half sister (by Storm Cat) to Seeking Gabrielle, the dam of 2016 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Nyquist .
"Breeders always want to wait to see if a program is going to last, but now they can see that this is a serious program with bonuses for the breeder and the stallion owner," said Leigh Ann Hopper.
Also on R Star Stallions’ roster is Animal Style, a stakes winner and half brother to Sahara Sky (by Spanish Steps), who was bred privately last year and will be available in 2017 to outside breeders for $1,500. The rest of the farm's roster and the 2017 fees includes Strong Contender ($3,000), Deputy Storm ($1,500), Sangaree ($1,500), and What Now ($1,500).