Bright talent Jonathan's Way retired to stand at Airdrie Stud in 2026

Jonathan's Way, whose promise last year as a juvenile included a debut win at Saratoga Race before a two-and-three-quarter-length victory over Owen Almighty in the 2024 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs, has been retired from racing and will enter stud next year at Airdrie Stud in Kentucky. 

A son of Vekoma, who topped the first-crop sire standings in 2024, Jonathan's Way concludes his racing career with a 2-1-0 record in four starts with earnings of $268,530 for owner Rigney Racing. After his initial two victories, he finished seventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar and second in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs, which wrapped up his juvenile season.

On the strength of his starts at two, including his runner-up finish in the Kentucky Jockey Club behind First Resort – in which he finished ahead of show finisher and eventual Louisiana Derby winner Tiztastic – hopes were high for Jonathan's Way heading toward his sophomore season. He was among a group of talented prospects included in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

The dark bay or brown colt never raced this year at three after being scratched from the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds in February due to what trainer Phil Bauer said was an unsatisfactory blood count. His infection was treated, but the colt developed life-threatening colitis – inflammation of the large intestine – that set him back for several months and contributed to further complications that ultimately led to the decision to retire him.

"As a racehorse, Jonathan's Way was a very special talent that, honestly, exceeded the ability of the best horses I have ever been around," trainer Phil Bauer said in a release from Airdrie Stud. 

"He is an absolutely beautifully made horse, and he translated that beauty to the way he moved on the track. He was poetry in motion. He was also the gold standard of class every day in the barn, and as he battled through his illness. I don't believe we got to see the best of Jonathan's Way, but I do believe he has a great chance to show everyone how special he was through his stallion career." 

A $290,000 weanling purchase by bloodstock agent John Moynihan at the 2022 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, Jonathan's Way was bred by Susan L. Anderson Racing in Ohio out of the stakes-winning Indian Charlie mare Female Drama. Jonathan's Way is a half brother to Startdfromdabottom, a multiple stakes-placed runner in Ohio.

Airdrie Stud noted that Jonathan's Way comes from a deep female family cultivated by Joseph Allen and Darby Dan Farm, among others, and is responsible for producing such notable influences as perennial leading sire Dynaformer, multiple grade 1 winner Memories of Silver, and 23 individual grade/group 1 winners through his first six dams.

Vekoma's success as a stallion has continued in 2025. He tops the second-crop sire standings as of September 5 and stood this past season for $35,000 at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky.

"In our opinion, there is no ceiling on Jonathan's Way's potential at stud," Airdrie Stud's Bret Jones said. "Everyone who has spent time with this horse reveres him and anyone who has watched his races has to recognize his immense talent.

"Because of bad luck, he never had a chance to showcase that talent as a three-year-old, but that fits the description of some of the most important stallions to stand at stud; from Not This Time and Dark Angel today on back to Hail to Reason and Raise a Native.

"He's by one of the most highly regarded young stallions in the world in Vekoma, out of an Indian Charlie mare who was an undefeated two-year-old stakes winner, and he was handpicked by one of the best judges in the industry in John Moynihan. We made a commitment to Richard Rigney and his team that we would give him the support he deserves with our broodmare band, and we can't wait to get started in honoring that commitment."

"Jonathan's Way has been very special to our family and our racing team," Rigney added. "We really believed we had a Derby horse, but it just wasn't meant to be. We are equal partners with Airdrie, and we are so happy to partner with a team that believes in him as much as we do. We will both be supporting him strongly, and I really believe he will repay our faith for many years to come."

Jonathan's Way is available for inspection at Airdrie throughout the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. His stud fee will be announced, along with the entirety of the Airdrie roster, after the sale.

Jonathan's Way joins a stallion barn at Airdrie that includes Beau Liam, Cairo Prince, Collected , Complexity, Divisidero, Girvin, Happy Saver, Highly Motivated, Mage and Upstart. 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan will also join Airdrie Stud upon the conclusion of his racing career.

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