Bodemeister Shuttling for the First Time to Argentina
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Photo: Louise E. Reinagel
Bodemeister at WinStar Farm
WinStar Farm's grade 1 winner and prominent third-crop sire Bodemeister is shuttling to the Southern Hemisphere for the first time this year as part of a two-year deal with Haras La Pasión, near Solis, west of Buenos Aires.
The 9-year-old son of Empire Maker has already arrived at Haras La Pasión and has become the first sire of a Kentucky Derby (G1) winner to stand in Argentina.
"It is a pride for us to have a horse of this category," Nicolas Benedicto with Haras La Pasión told Turf Diario. "I had seen him when he left training, and I loved him. He had a ferocious running ability and has incredible genetics. Considering he had a winner of the Kentucky Derby with his first crop, he has to be considered one of the best young stallions in the United States. Empire Maker is a phenomenon and already shown to be a remarkable father of stallions, mainly through Pioneerof the Nile , who gave nothing less than (2015 American Triple Crown winner) American Pharoah ."
Benedicto said he pursued Bodemeister after Hill 'n' Dale Farms decided not to shuttle second-ranked second-crop sire Violence and wanted a sire of high quality to fill the void.
"We have gotten away from long-term shuttling and taken a more targeted approach," said Elliott Walden, president and CEO of WinStar. "Fernando Diaz-Valdes contacted us about Bodemeister, and La Pasión owned a piece of Sidney's Candy, so we have done things with them before. We felt La Pasión was a great fit. They have a lot of quality breeding stock."
Bodemeister is ranked third among the leading third-crop sires (through Aug. 1). He has been represented by five black-type winners in 2018, led by graded stakes winners American Anthem and Once On Whiskey. Overall, the stallion has sired eight black-type winners so far, including 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming.
La Pasión also stands Manipulator, a 17-year-old son of Unbridled, so Benedicto said he is excited to offer another stallion from this highly productive sire line.
"It is a branch that has speed but that reaches very well at the medium and long distances. That produces competitive horses everywhere," he said.