Champion sire Into Mischief remains steady at $250,000 as Spendthrift Farm reveals 2024 fees

Spendthrift Farm will hold the 2024 fee for its marquee sire Into Mischief steady at $250,000, the Lexington-based farm has announced along with the majority of next year's stud fees for its roster of 26 stallions.

"Into Mischief just continues to wade further and further into unchartered waters when it comes to the long and storied history of stallions in this industry," said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift general manager. "Not only is he well on his way to capturing his fifth straight champion general sire title, he is also backing up that success on the racetrack by breaking more records at the sales, and, perhaps most excitingly, as an emerging sire of sires. 

"Into Mischief had 15 yearlings sell for a million dollars or more this year, breaking Storm Cat's record of 13 from 2005. And he has a great chance of having a champion freshman sire, as Maximus Mischief currently sits atop this year's list, and Authentic looks poised to make a run next year. It truly is remarkable."

With more than $19.6 million in progeny earnings year to date, Into Mischief is more than $6 million ahead of his nearest rival on the North American general sires list. He also leads North America with 21 black type winners and nine Graded stakes winners so far, which include four Grade 1 winners led by Kentucky Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous, who is front-runner for champion three-year-old filly honours.

Pretty Mischievous: Kentucky Oaks heroine is among Into Mischief's leading progeny in 2023Credit: wendy wooley

In the sales ring, Into Mischief broke an 18-year-old record by siring 15 yearlings to date that have sold for seven figures, including a $3.2 million colt at Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale and $3 million colt at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, which are his two highest-priced yearlings sold at public auction. Into Mischief's yearling average of $746,854 from 62 yearlings sold in 2023 is currently $176,267 higher than second-ranked sire Curlin.

The previous record for million-dollar yearlings sired in a single crop was held by Storm Cat - Into Mischief's great grandsire - who had 13 in 2005. Before that, Northern Dancer was the first with double-digit yearlings to sell for seven figures when he had 11 in 1984. Into Mischief hails from Northern Dancer's sire line five generations forward.

Maximus Mischief currently leads the North American first-crop sire standings and was the first of his sire class to cross a million dollars in progeny earnings this year. He also leads by number of winners with 19.

Spendthrift recently announced it will be adding Grade 1 winners Taiba, Zandon, and Arabian Lion to the 2024 roster. Taiba, who retired as Gun Runner's most accomplished son to date, is now available for inspection at Spendthrift. He was an Eclipse finalist a year ago after capturing the Santa Anita Derby, Pennsylvania Derby, and Malibu Stakes and finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Classic as a three-year-old. His introductory fee has been set at $35,000.

Taiba: new to Spendthrift Farm for 2024Credit: Edward Whitaker

Millionaire Zandon, winner of last year's Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, is set to make his next start in Saturday's Woodward Stakes at Aqueduct, while Arabian Lion, winner of this year's Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park, will start in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes. Both colts are being pointed to the Breeders' Cup and will retire to Spendthrift at the end of the year. Their respective stud fees will be announced at that time.

Bolt d'Oro, the leading freshman sire of 2022, will see his fee increase to $60,000 off another strong year with his progeny on racetrack and in the sales ring. Performances from his first crop of three-year-olds have put him sixth among all North American sires this year by three-year-old earnings, and his 13 second-crop juvenile winners to date are led by the undefeated Grade 1 winner and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies contender Tamara.

Authentic, the 2020 Horse of the Year, has had a strong commercial start with his first-crop yearlings averaging $302,548 from 82 sold to date. The Kentucky Derby winner will stand for $50,000 in 2024.

Champion Jackie's Warrior, fresh off covering a quality full book of mares in 2023 that included champions Beholder and Groupie Doll, will stand the upcoming season for $45,000. Popular young stallions Cyberknife and Yaupon are also coming off breeding full books and will both stand for $25,000 in 2024.

Classic winner Mo Donegal and multiple Grade 1 winner Vekoma will stand for a fee of $15,000. The latter exits the Keeneland September Sale with his first crop of yearlings averaging $111,501 from 75 sold to date.

Cross Traffic, Goldencents, and Jimmy Creed will all stand the upcoming season for a fee of $10,000. Cross Traffic's Graded stakes performers in 2023 are led by Grade 1 winner Defining Purpose and Jimmy Creed's Graded stakes performers are again led by four-time Grade 1 winner and multi-millionaire Casa Creed, who is a top contender for this year's Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita. Goldencents is a top ten juvenile sire again in 2023 with 13 two-year-old winners to date, including stakes winners at Saratoga and Del Mar.

Maximus Mischief, Mitole, Omaha Beach, and Vino Rosso all currently sit in the top five on the first-crop sires list with their first two-year-olds. Stud fees have yet to be determined for these four freshman sires and will be announced later in the year.

"We are excited to announce our 2024 stallion roster and fees fresh off the strongest major yearling sales I can remember," Toffey said. "The market for a racehorse is as competitive as ever, and that is a wonderful thing for breeders and the overall health of the breeding industry. It should give everyone confidence and optimism heading into 2024. At Spendthrift, we are constantly striving to provide the best opportunities for breeders when it comes to quality, value, and diversity of pedigree at all levels."

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