War Emblem Sold, Will Stand at Stud in Japan

In a deal estimated between $17 million and $18 million, this year’s Kentucky Derby winner, War Emblem, has been sold to the same Japanese breeding farm that stood another Derby winner, Sunday Silence, before his death last month.

Shadai Stallion Stud, owned by the Yoshida family, will stand War Emblem next year, at a mating fee of $66,000 a mare. War Emblem, who also won the Preakness before his Triple Crown bid ended with an eighth-place finish in the Belmont Stakes, will run for the last time in the $4-million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Arlington Park on Oct. 26.

Ahmed bin Salman, a Saudi Arabian prince, bought 90% of War Emblem from the colt’s breeder, Russell Reineman, less than three weeks before the Derby. The prince died in July and the heirs to his Thoroughbred Corp. have indicated that there will be a downsizing of the international stable.

After the Triple Crown, War Emblem ran in two million-dollar races, winning the Haskell at Monmouth Park and finishing sixth in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar. His overall record is seven wins in 12 starts, with purses of $3.4 million.

War Emblem is the first Derby winner since Sunday Silence, who won the race in 1989, to go directly to stud in Japan. Other Derby winners, including Chateaugay, Kauai King, Majestic Prince and Ferdinand, wound up at stud in Japan after first standing in the U.S.

Sunday Silence became Japan’s premier stallion, his progeny winning 75 stakes and earning $322 million.