Haynesfield’s Move to California Generates Some Buzz

By Steve Andersen DRF.com

Haynesfield, a former Kentucky stallion and Grade 1 winner, was recently moved to California for the 2017 breeding season. The millionaire racehorse could draw significant attention from the state’s breeders after recent changes among the leading stallions.

Unusual Heat, who led California stallions in progeny earnings six times from 2008-2013, was pensioned in October. Another top stallion, Tribal Rule, died in 2014, even though his progeny are still performing well.

Lucky Pulpit, the state’s leading stallion from 2014 through this year, has benefited massively from the global success of California Chrome, which has propelled him to the fore.

Haynesfield, who is by Speightstown, will stand for $5,000 at Rancho San Miguel in San Miguel, Calif. He arrived at the farm this fall from Airdrie Stud in Kentucky, where he stood for $10,000 in 2016.

Haynesfield was well supported in Kentucky. Through Dec. 15, he ranked 12th in second-crop progeny earnings with $1.8 million. A book of 75 mares is possible in 2017, according to Sean Feld, director of Climax Stallions, which manages Haynesfield.

“I think he’s a stallion that California needs to have,” Feld said in a mid-December interview. “Unusual Heat is pensioned. The top five or six stallions are kind of turf-centric. Haynesfield won on the dirt going short and long. He won from six furlongs to 1 1/4 miles.”

Feld points out that Haynesfield is the only stallion by Speightstown in California. He said there was a strong response in the fall when the 10-year-old stallion’s relocation was announced.

“We’ve had a lot of action on him already,” Feld said. “It was shocking to me. The day we announced it my phone was ringing off the hook.”

Haynesfield won 10 of 19 starts and earned $1,319,481. He scored a milestone win in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in 2010 and was second in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct that fall. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Haynesfield won eight stakes and was twice named the New York-bred horse of the year.

His leading runner at stud so far has been Realm, who has earned $186,455. Realm, trained by Barclay Tagg, was third in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile on Nov. 26 in his stakes debut.

Haynesfield is the most prominent among the state’s new stallions in 2017, a group that includes horses recently retired who will stand for the first time, and stallions relocated from other states.