l’ll Have Another, U.S. champion and dual classic winner of the 2012 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1), has returned to the United States from Japan. The son of Flower Alley will stand at Ballena Vista Farm in California, for the 2019 breeding season. His introductory stud fee is $6,000.
Raced by J. Paul Reddam, I’ll Have Another was sold to Big Red Farm for $10 million and stood at the Hokkaido farm for five years. The stallion became the second-leading first-crop sire in Japan.
Ballena Vista Farm owner Donald Cohn, who bought the stallion, said: “I truly consider bringing champion I’ll Have Another back to the States as one of the most satisfying and one of the best things I’ve ever done in the Thoroughbred industry. He is a magnificent specimen and a true champion racehorse, the likes of what we in California have never had the opportunity to stand.”
I’ll Have Another.
Trainer Doug O’Neill brought I’ll Have Another to Belmont Park for a shot at a Triple Crown but had to scratch the horse on the morning of the Belmont Stakes (G1) due to tendinitis. The colt was immediately retired.
“I’ll Have Another was an absolute beast,” O’Neill remembered. “His competitive nature, his high energy, and tremendous stride helped him win two classics and a championship.”
I’ll Have Another was retired with a record of five wins and a second from seven starts, and earnings of $2,693,600. In addition to winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, he also won the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2). Undefeated at 3, he was the 2012 Eclipse champion 3-year-old. At 2, he broke his maiden July 3 at Hollywood Park, then ran second to Creative Cause in the Best Pal Stakes (G2).
As a sire, I’ll Have Another has been represented by 118 winners, including graded-placed winners Win Gerbera, who was second in the Hakodate Nisai Stakes (G3), and Sigrun, who was third in the Artemis Stakes (G3).
Lot 114 Whitcomb by Flower Alley sold at the National Yearling Sale for R1,5-million. Image: Candiese Marnewick
I’ll Have Another was bred by Harvey Clarke in Kentucky out of the winning Arch mare Arch’s Gal Edith. The mare’s granddam, stakes-placed Last Cause, is a half sister to stakes-placed One Last Bird, who is in the family of top Spendthrift Farm sire Into Mischief.
Flower Alley, the only sire of a Kentucky Derby winner to stand in South Africa, proved immensely popular at the 2018 National Yearling Sale where his first South African born crop saw him average almost R400 000 for 22 Lot sold.
The highest prices were R1,5-million for Lot 114 Whitcomb, bred by Mauritzfontein out of Cherry Ridge, and Lot 101 Bayberry, out of Berry Blaze, sold for R1-million consigned by Wilgerbosdrift.
Flower Alley stands this season at Wilgerbosdrift for a fee of R70 000 live foal.
