Calumet Adds Four Stallions for 2017

Calumet Farm will introduce four new stallions in 2017, led by 2015 champion turf male Big Blue Kitten  .

The winningest son of Kitten's Joy  , Big Blue Kitten won four grade I stakes and placed in six others at the top level. He raced as a homebred for Ken and Sarah Ramsey until after the 2015 Breeders' Cup, when Calumet Farm took ownership.

Big Blue Kitten retired with a 14-8-5 record in 33 starts and collected earnings of $2,983,350. He will stand for $15,000.

Also new to the roster is grade I winner Slumber  , along with War Correspondent   and Optimizer  , who are both grade III winners and grade I-placed. 

Slumber is by Cacique, who is a full brother to European stallions Dansili and Champs Elysees, and gives U.S. breeders access to the Danehill sire line. He won the 2015 Knob Creek Manhattan Stakes (gr. IT) and placed in four other grade I stakes, including the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic and the United Nations.

War Correspondent is by War Front   and a full brother to multiple group I winner and first-crop yearling sire Declaration of War  . He won the 2015 Appleton Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Park and finished third in the Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. II) a length behind Slumber, who was a nose behind Mshawish   at the wire. 

Optimizer is a grade III winning son of English Channel  , who finished second in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes and the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap (both gr. IT) in 2013. He started in 30 graded stakes in which he won or placed 11 times.

The new additions bring Calumet's total roster in Central Kentucky and around the country to 21.

"We support our stallions in the breeding shed and at the track," said Eddie Kane, Calumet's general manager. "Without this support it is impossible for the breeder to get full value for their investments." 

Among the sires to see fee changes is Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Oxbow  , whose fee has risen to $20,000 from $17,500 based in part on the good reception of his first yearlings this year. He is the fourth-leading first-crop yearling sire with a $111,125 average.

Calumet's top sire English Channel will have his fee remain at $25,000. 

"Our roster features a wide variety of bloodlines possessing soundness, conformation, and a propensity to winning classic two-turn races on both dirt and turf," Kane said. "We are focused not only on building long-term relationships with breeders but also sharing in the commercial and racing success of our stallions."