WinStar stallions Carpe Diem and Exaggerator have been sold and will take up stud duty in new locations for 2022, WinStar announced Dec. 9.
Carpe Diem will be syndicated in Louisiana by a group led by Picard Racing (Dawn and Jeff Picard) and David Tillson and will stand the upcoming breeding season at Acadiana Equine at Copper Crowne in Louisiana. By Giant's Causeway out of the graded stakes-placed, stakes-winning Unbridled's Song mare Rebridled Dreams, Carpe Diem, a dominant grade 1 winner at 2 and 3 for WinStar Farm and Stonestreet Stables and an earner of $1,519,000, will be available for inspection at Acadiana Equine beginning Dec. 18.
Carpe Diem is the sire of 11 black-type horses in 2021, led by stakes winners Bella Aurora, Wait for Nairobi, and graded stakes-placed Thissmytime, runner-up in the Inside Information Stakes (G2). A $1.6 million juvenile purchase, Carpe Diem is also a leading sire of 2-year-olds this year (21 juvenile winners) and is represented by Romancer, runner-up in the $500,000 Global Tote Juvenile Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs.
"We have a strong relationship with David Tillson and Acadiana Equine," said Liam O'Rourke, director of bloodstock services for WinStar Farm. "We look forward to continued success with Carpe Diem."
Tillson added, "Our goal is to provide Louisiana breeders the best opportunity for future success, and we're excited to stand Carpe Diem, a multiple grade 1 winner and proven stallion."
Exaggerator, Curlin 's only three-time grade 1 winner at stud, is returning home after being repurchased by Texas-based Rocker O Ranch, co-owner of the horse during his sensational racing career. Stud plans are currently being determined for the handsome bay who is produced from the stakes-placed Vindication mare Dawn Raid, a half sister to Canadian champion and multiple graded stakes winner Embur's Song.
"Exaggerator gave us the greatest thrills of our lifetime," said Rocker O Ranch's Cole Ortowski. "We are excited to be bringing him back into the family."
Winner of the Preakness Stakes (G1), the betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1), and Santa Anita Derby (G1) by a combined 11 1/4 lengths at age 3, Exaggerator was also a top 2-year-old. He won the Saratoga Special (G2) and the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot (G3) as a juvenile and finished second in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1). All told, he banked $3,581,120 racing for the partnership of Big Chief Racing, Head of Plains Partners, Rocker O Ranch, and trainer Keith Desormeaux.
Exaggerator is the leading second-crop sire by winners with 77 and is represented this year by 2-year-old stakes-winning fillies Sea Level and Pacific Coast, as well as stakes winner Gagetown, winner of the Prairie Mile Stakes and placed in the Iowa Derby and St. Louis Derby, and multiple stakes-placed Crew Dragon.
Carpe Diem and Exaggerator had been scheduled to stand at WinStar for fees of $5,000 and $7,500, respectively, in 2022.
