Eclipse Champion Sprinter BENNY THE BULL will stand at Vinery in Summerfield, Florida for 2010,
according to an announcement by Vinery president Tom Ludt. The six-year-old multiple Grade 1 winner
will stand for $4,000 stands and nurses.
Bred in Florida by Tomoka Hills Farms, BENNY THE BULL was purchased at the 2004 Keeneland
September yearling sale for $38,000 by Greg James. James campaigned BENNY THE BULL through
the
early part of his racing career, which included a win in the Iowa Sprint H. in his stakes debut. At that point,
James sold a major interest in the colt to a group that included IEAH Stables. In the IEAH colors, he went
on to win the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash S.-G1, finish second in the Forego S.-G1 and fourth in
the Breeders’ Cup Sprint-G1 and Alfred G. Vanderbilt H.-G2. The following year, BENNY THE BULL
went undefeated in four starts. He won the Sunshine Millions Sprint S., then shipped to Dubai to take the
prestigious Golden Shaheen-G1. He won the True North H.-G2 on Belmont Stakes day, then followed that
up with a victory in Smile Sprint H.-G2. His four consecutive wins at four tracks earned him the Eclipse
Award as 2008’s Champion Sprinter. Retired temporarily after that season, BENNY THE BULL
returned to
competition in 2009 making three starts, including seconds in the True North H.-G2 and Smile Sprint H-G2.
Overall, he won or placed in 14 of 20 starts and earned $2,353,430.
“BENNY THE BULL has been a dream horse – talented, totally sound and brilliantly fast,” said owner
Greg James, who reacquired the horse for stud duty. “I’m very excited about his future at Vinery, and with
the stud fee we have decided on, I think he will offer breeders a wonderful opportunity to breed to a
Champion
at a very fair and reasonable price.”
BENNY THE BULL hails from a pedigree abundant with speed. His dam, Comet Cat, was a stakes
winner at 2 and is by the extremely fast Birdonthewire, winner of the Vosburgh S.-G1, Forego H.-G2, and
Tom Fool S.-G2. His third and fourth dams are by Champion Sprinters J. O. Tobin and Dr. Fager, respectively.
His sire, Lucky Lionel, a Santa Anita track record-setter and multiple graded stakes winner at two in
France and England, is by solid sire and top sprinter Mt. Livermore, a son of Blushing Groom.
For more information contact Declan Doyle at Vinery (352) 307-8485. |
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