Grade 1-placed, grade 2 winner Rushie, a 5-year-old son of Liam's Map , has arrived at Pleasant Acres Stallions near Ocala, Fla., for stud duty, the farm announced Jan. 18. The stallion was acquired by a partnership in a deal brokered by Jacob West.
"We are very pleased to have Rushie join our roster of exceptional stallions in Florida. Right now, there are only three stallions by Liam's Map being offered to breeders in 2022—two are standing in Kentucky at Spendthrift and Airdrie Stud, and Rushie is here at Pleasant Acres Stallions," said Joe Barbazon, who owns and runs Pleasant Acres with his wife Helen. "Being able to expand the Liam's Map bloodline to our Florida breeders is very exciting."
Bred in Florida by Ocala Stud, Rushie is out of Conquest Angel, a daughter of Colonel John and a half sister to grade 1 winner Peace and War (War Front ), who won the 2014 Darley Alicibiades Stakes (G1) and was third in the 2015 Cotillion Stakes (G1). The immediate family has also produced grade 3 winner Stoneleigh's Hope and multiple stakes winner Miss Valentine.
Jim and Donna Daniell bought Rushie for $70,000 from Ocala Stud at the 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale through West Bloodstock. He won his sophomore debut at Santa Anita Park and three races later was third in the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) behind Honor A. P. and eventual Horse of the Year and 3-year-old champion Authentic . Rushie would finish third in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) before capturing the Pat Day Mile Stakes Presented by LG&E and KU (G2) at Churchill Downs in 1:34.41. At 4, he added two more stakes-placed finishes in the Oaklawn Mile Stakes and Charles Town Classic Stakes (G2).
Rushie retired with a 3-2-3 record from 15 starts and earned $697,941.
Rushie is one of five graded stakes winners in the first crop of Lane's End's Liam's Map, who was a top five third-crop sire of 2021 with more than $7.6 million in progeny earnings and the co-leading sire of his class last year with two grade 1 winners. Liam's Map, an 11-year-old son of Unbridled's Song, won the Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and Woodward Stakes (G1) in 2015.
Liam's Map's 2-year-old's have sold for up to $1.2 million, the price paid for his grade 1 winner Colonel Liam , including 17 others that sold for $200,000 or more. His juvenile average is $156,235.
A stud fee for Rushie is pending.
