War Front, the Kentucky-based sire of Saturday’s Dewhurst Stakes winner War Command, has had his fee for the 2014 breeding season increased to $US150,000 by Claiborne Farm.
The increase was announced on October 9 before War Command won the G1 Dewhurst at Newmarket on Saturday, becoming his sire’s fifth G1 winner.
The Aidan O’Brien–trained War Command (War Front x Wandering Star by Red Ransom) started an odds-on favourite after G2 victories in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and Futurity Stakes at the Curragh.
War Front's fee has almost doubled from his 2013 fee of $80,000 due to the great success of his progeny this year, both on the track and in the sales ring.
Among his 16 stakes winners and 25 stakes performers are eight new stakes victors this year led by are G1 winners Declaration Of War and War Command, G2 winners Departing, Lines Of Battle and Jack Milton and G3 winner Summer Front.
The Danzig stallion's offspring are attracting a lot of attention at the sales as well.
There were 35 yearlings sired by War Front sold at the Keeneland September sale for $14,057,000, including the sales topping $2.5 million colt out of Blading Gold Ring.
There is an Australian connection to War Command as Our Of Egypt, a sister to his dam Wandering Star, resides at Lincoln Farm near Scone.
Out Of Egypt, dam of last year’s NZ 10000 Guineas winer Rollout The Carpet, has been a resident mare since she was imported from the UK by her NZ-based owners John and Jackie Cameron in 2006.
Out Of Egypt’s foals are sent to New Zealand after they are weaned.
Out Of Egypt has foaled a 2013 colt by Commands at Lincoln Farm and has been served by Exceed And Excel.
• THE Kevin Ryan-trained Astaire became the first G1 winner from the first crop of his sire Intense
Focus (Giant’s Causeway) in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket on October 12.By Intense Focus from Runway Dancer (Dansili), Astaire beat his stablemate Hot Streak (Iffraaj) to add the G1 feature to his win in the G2 Gimcrack Stakes at York in August.
Astaire was bought at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for 23,000 guineas by Grove Stud.
• The Roger Varian-trained Kingston Hill put himself in the 2000 Guineas picture with an impressive win in the G3 Autumn Stakes.
The son of Mastercraftsman was bought by Charlie Gordon-Watson for 70,000 guineas at Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale from the draft of Woodcote Stud. Unbeaten in two career starts, he is the third stakes winner for Mastercraftsman (Danehill Dancer).
• The Marco Botti-trained Al Thakhira was the third Group winner of the day for Tattersalls graduates when she won the G2 Rockfel Stakes. The daughter of Dubawi was bought at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale by Aran Bloodstock for 42,000 guineas from Tweenhills Stud.
