Grade I Winner Strong Mandate Retired
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Grade I winner Strong Mandate has been retired from racing and will take up stud duty in 2015 at Three Chimneys Farm near Midway, Ky.
The 3-year-old son of Tiznow —Clear Mandate, by Deputy Minister, posted a 2-1-1 career line from eight starts in two seasons, including a smashing 9 3/4-length victory on a muddy track in the 2013 Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course. He later ran a third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park for trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
A classic candidate earlier this year, he was runner-up in the Southwest Stakes (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park before injury knocked him off the Triple Crown trail. He amassed lifetime earnings of $529,566 for owners Robert C. Baker and William L. Mack.
From a strong female family, Strong Mandate's dam Clear Mandate was a three-time grade I winner of more than $1 million and is a half sister to the dam of Japanese champion To the Victory. His second dam is grade I winner Dream Deal, a half sister to Creme Fraiche, whose seven grade I wins includes the 1985 Belmont Stakes (gr. I). Third dam is 1979 Delaware Handicap (gr. I) victress Likely Exchange. Strong Mandate's first four dams averaged 40 starts each.
"I am pretty familiar with Tiznow and his progeny, and Strong Mandate has always been on my radar ever since his impressive maiden victory at Saratoga last August," said Doug Cauthen, vice chair of the Three Chimneys board. "Strong Mandate's precocity, brilliance, striking good looks, and his amazing female family make him an extremely attractive stallion prospect.
"I cannot recall any stallion prospect that was himself an impressive grade I winner, who is out of a grade I winner, who is then out of a grade I winner, who is also out of a grade I winner. That's four generations of grade I winners just on that side of the pedigree, and I believe Strong Mandate will produce grade I winners to keep the legacy going. If you look at Strong Mandate's brilliance and precocity and consider that he was bred to win the Kentucky Derby, he offers breeders the complete package. I think he is quite unique."
Strong Mandate was bred in Kentucky by G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and purchased by Baker and Mack for $200,000 from consignor Lane's End's agency at the 2012 Keeneland September yearling sale.
Strong Mandate will join champion Will Take Charge and grade I winner Palace Malice (who may race in 2015) as one of three new additions to the Three Chimneys roster.
"I hope these three promising young sires, in addition to our existing stallions, will help bring our vision at Three Chimneys clearly into focus and add to breeders' interest to support our stallions," said Three Chimneys chairman Goncalo Torrealba.