Champion racehorse and top sire Classic Empire sold to continue stud career in South Korea

American champion and top-five third-crop sire Classic Empire has been sold to the Korea Racing Authority, according to the Korea stud book and confirmed by Ashford Stud, where the stallion started his stud career. 

The nine-year-old son of Pioneerof The Nile was imported to South Korea on December 18.

Classic Empire has been among the top ten of his sire class by progeny earnings since his first foals began running in 2021. He was represented by two stakes winners in his freshman year and would see his first Graded stakes winners as a second-crop sire.

By cumulative progeny results, Classic Empire is the fourth-leading sire of his class with more than $13.59 million in progeny earnings. He has sired 12 black-type winners to date, with this year's Arkansas Derby winner Angel Of Empire becoming his first Grade 1 winner.

Angel Of Empire went on to finish third in the Kentucky Derby and banked $1,446,375 for the year, making him Classic Empire's chief earner. The sire's other top runners include Grade 1-placed, Grade 2 winner Interstatedaydream and Grade 3 winners Classy Edition and Morello.

The KRA began pursuing higher-quality stallions in earnest in 2004 to build up the Korean breeding programme. One of their early acquisitions in 2006 was dual American Classic-placed, Grade 1 winner Menifee, who died in 2019 and still ranks this year among Korea's top ten leading sires. Menifee's last foals are three this year.

Hansen, US champion two-year-old male in 2011, is the leading sire in Korea for 2023 by earnings. He is also the leading sire with 91 winners. Hansen was imported in 2013 and is owned by KRA. 

Classic Empire also became a champion at two after winning the Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes, Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity and Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile in 2016. At three, he won the Arkansas Derby for owner John Oxley and trainer Mark Casse and went on to finish fourth in the Kentucky Derby and second in the Preakness Stakes. 

A hoof abscess forced the colt's withdrawal from the Belmont Stakes and a lengthy recovery eventually led to his retirement in October 2017. He retired with a 5-1-1 record from nine starts and earned $2,520,220.

Steven and Brandi Nicholson bred Classic Empire in Kentucky out of the Cat Thief daughter Sambuca Classica. He is a half-brother to stakes winners Anytime Magic and Uptown Twirl. Sambuca Classica is out of multiple Grade 1-placed stakes winner In Her Glory, who produced two stakes-placed performers among seven winners and is the granddam of stakes winners Bay Park Boy and Bronx Beauty.

Korean breeders added another Grade 1 winner to their stallion ranks earlier in the year when Kim Ho Jong bought West Will Power. The six-year-old son of Bernardini raced as a homebred for Gary and Mary West. He won this year's Grade 1 Stephen Foster and Grade 2 New Orleans Classic. He was also runner-up in the 2022 Grade 1 Clark Stakes. The horse retired with a 7-7-1 record from 17 starts and earned $1,745,390.

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