American Freedom's First Foal is a Filly
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
The first foal by Airdrie Stud and Gary and Mary West Stables' first-crop stallion American Freedom is a filly born Jan. 12 at Hillyard Stables in Corydon, Ky.
Bred by Ashley and Josh Hillyard, the filly is out of the maiden mare One Minute, a stakes-placed winning daughter of Run Away and Hide . Trained by Ashley Hillyard's father, John Hancock, One Minute broke her maiden by 7 1/4 lengths at Churchill Downs in May of her 2-year-old season, prior to placing in the Astoria Stakes at Belmont Park in her next start. One Minute is the first foal out of the multiple stakes-placed juvenile, Bach Hamilton, by Cherokee Run, who is a half sister to stakes-placed winner Chilling Command (by Master Command).
"This is an absolutely beautiful filly," said Hancock. "She's got a lot of leg, a lot of length, and all the substance you'd want. She acts like she's got the athleticism as well because she jumped up in no time and knew just what the world was all about."
American Freedom, bought for $500,000 by agent Ben Glass on behalf of the Wests, is from the final crop of Pulpit. He went on to win the Iowa Derby (G3) and one other black-type stakes before posting gallant runner-up finishes in both the betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1).
Benefitting from his owning partnership, American Freedom bred 152 mares in 2018. Both Airdrie Stud the Wests are breeding at least 20 mares to him in each of his first three breeding seasons. He stands at Airdrie for $10,000.