Hit It a Bomb to Spendthrift

Hit It a Bomb  , a son of top sire War Front   and winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IT) has been retired from racing and will stand the 2017 season at B. Wayne Hughes’ Spendthrift Farm near Lexington. He will participate in the farm’s “Share the Upside” program.

The “Share the Upside” fee for the grade I winner will be $8,500 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 program, Hit It a Bomb will be offered for $7,000 on a standard stands and nurses contract.

Out of the group III-winning Sadler’s Wells Irish-bred mare Liscanna, Hit It a Bomb is a full brother to Brave Anna, winner of the Sept. 24 Connolly’s Red Mills Cheveley Park Stakes (Eng-I) and the Albany Stakes (Eng-III) at Royal Ascot. She was a Cartier Racing Awards nominee for champion 2-year-old filly.

Trained by Aiden O’Brien, Hit It a Bomb broke his maiden at first asking last year before dominating his second start a month later by 4 1/2 lengths. Making just his third start, the talented bay colt overcame post 14 post to go from last to first in the $1 million Juvenile Turf at Keeneland. He closed out an undefeated 2-year-old campaign in three starts and earned $599,967.

This year at 3, Hit It a Bomb placed in the group III Invesco Pension Consultants Desmond Stakes and group II Clipper Logisitics Boomerang Solonway Stakes. He overcame a troubled trip to finish mid-pack in the Nov. 5 Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Park. He retires with earnings of $626,821 off a 2-0-2 mark in six starts for owner and breeder Evelyn Stockwell.

“It has been a priority of ours to be able to offer breeders a top son of War Front through our ‘Share the Upside’ program,” said Ned Toffey, the farm’s general manager. “In Hit It a Bomb we believe we’ve found that horse. He was an undefeated grade I winner at 2, with an electrifying turn of foot that he showed when winning the Breeders’ Cup.

“Hit It a Bomb’s full sister, also a group I winner, is arguably the best 2-year-old filly in Europe this year, so the family is loaded with talent. This is a great opportunity for breeders to earn a lifetime breeding right in one of the most promising sons of War Front you will find at stud.”