Kentucky Derby hero I'll Have Another back at stud in the US

I'll Have Another, US champion and dual classic winner of the 2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, has returned to the US from Japan. The son of Flower Alley will stand at Ballena Vista Farm in California for the 2019 breeding season.

His introductory stud fee is $6,000.

Raced by J Paul Reddam, I'll Have Another was sold to Big Red Farm for $10 million and stood at the Hokkaido farm for five years. The stallion became the second-leading first-crop sire in Japan.

Ballena Vista Farm owner Donald Cohn, who bought the stallion, said: "I truly consider bringing champion I'll Have Another back to the States as one of the most satisfying and one of the best things I've ever done in the thoroughbred industry.

"He's a magnificent specimen and a true champion racehorse, the likes of which we in California have never had the opportunity to stand."

Trainer Doug O'Neill brought I'll Have Another to Belmont Park for a shot at a Triple Crown but had to scratch the horse on the morning of the Belmont Stakes due to tendinitis. The colt was immediately retired.

"I'll Have Another was an absolute beast," O'Neill remembered. "His competitive nature, his high energy, and tremendous stride helped him win two classics and a championship."

I'll Have Another was retired with a record of five wins and a second from seven starts, and earnings of $2,693,600.

In addition to winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, he also won the Santa Anita Derby and Robert B Lewis Stakes. Undefeated at three, he was the 2012 Eclipse champion three-year-old.

At two, he broke his maiden in July at Hollywood Park, then ran second to Creative Cause in the Best Pal Stakes.

As a sire, I'll Have Another has been represented by 118 winners, including Graded-placed winners Win Gerbera, who was second in the Hakodate Nisai Stakes, and Sigrun, who was third in the Artemis Stakes.

I'll Have Another was bred by Harvey Clarke in Kentucky out of the winning Arch mare Arch's Gal Edith. The mare's granddam, stakes-placed Last Cause, is a half-sister to stakes-placed One Last Bird, who is in the family of top Spendthrift Farm sire Into Mischief.

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