Quality Road tops 2019 roster at Lane's End

Son of Elusive Quality will stand for $150,000 next year

Quality Road: top-class son of Elusive Quality stands at Lane's End Stud in Kentucky

Quality Road leaped to the top the Lane's End stallion roster for 2019 as he is set to stand the upcoming season at a $150,000 fee, having commanded a $70,000 fee this year.

The 12-year-old son of Elusive Quality is currently the leading North American sire by number of Grade/Group 1 winners for 2018 with five and ranks second by all Grade/Group winners with ten to the late Scat Daddy, who has 11 so far.

Quality Road has had a strong year commercially, with 46 yearlings sold for an average of $331,413. He was represented by six yearlings during the Keeneland September Sale that sold for more than $500,000, led by a $1.1 million colt out of the Mineshaft mare What'smineismine, who is now named Johnnypump.

Three new sires will enter stud at Lane's End next year: Four-time Grade 1 winner Accelerate, multiple Grade 1 winner City Of Light and multiple Grade 1 winner and 2017 champion three-year-old male West Coast.

All three horses are being aimed for the Breeders' Cup World Championships so their fees are pending. Accelerate and West Coast are possible contenders for the Breeders' Cup Classic, while City Of Light, who is also Quality Road's leading earner of the year, is being aimed for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

Returning to the roster for next year is The Factor, a multiple Grade 1-winning son of War Front, who was leased for 2018 to the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association Farm.

The stallion is currently leading the North American third-crop sire list with more than $5.25 million in progeny earnings. The Factor has been represented by five black-type winners so far this year, led by his chief earner and Grade 2 winner Bound For Nowhere.

Canadian champion and three-time Grade 1 winner Langfuhr, who has stood at Lane's End since 2004, has been pensioned. The 26-year-old son of Danzig has sired 75 black-type winners worldwide, of which 23 are Graded/Group winners and five are champions.

His son Wando won the 2003 Canadian Triple Crown and was subsequently named Canadian Horse of the Year and champion three-year-old. Langfuhr's runners collectively earned more than $114.1 million.

Lane's End Farm fees for the 2019 breeding season

Sire, fee, (increase/decrease)

Accelerate* tba

Candy Ride $80,000

City Of Light* tba

Connect $20,000

Honor Code $40,000

Lemon Drop Kid $25,000

Liam's Map $20,000 (-$5,000)

Mineshaft $20,000 (-$5,000)

Morning Line $5,000 (-$2,500)

Mr Speaker $10,000