At the conclusion of his racing career stakes-winning sprinter and Coolmore Stud Stakes (G1)-placed stallion prospect I Am Unstoppable will stand at Widden Stud, which recently reached a deal to purchase the talented 3-year-old, but first, his new owners will chase group 1 glory in a bid to enhance his value, which already stands in the multimillion-dollar range.
Trainers Lloyd Kennewell and Lucy Yeomans have reached a deal to sell the son of Australian dual champion sire I Am Invincible to new connections as they plot an autumn preparation aimed at the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (G1) and Newmarket Handicap (G1). Widden principal Antony Thompson revealed he'd attempted to strike a deal for I Am Unstoppable prior to the colt's second placing behind fellow stallion prospect Ozzmosis in the Coolmore, but nothing materialized, leading to the studmaster to resume talks over the past month with Kennewell and Group 1 Bloodstock's Mathew Becker.
Thompson described Widden's latest stallion acquisition as "a real bull with serious strength, a quality head, and great masculinity, plus he's beautifully balanced and is everything you expect when you think of an exceptional I Am Invincible." A decision on whether I Am Unstoppable stands in the Hunter Valley or at Widden's Victorian operation will be made in due course.
"I love the pedigree and he's a smashing sort who is a stakes-winning 2-year-old and he has developed into one of the best sprinting 3-year-olds of his generation.
"I believe there's good upside in him, so we are happy to step into him at this stage and we look forward to racing him on and seeing where he takes us."
Kennewell and Becker negotiated the sale of I Am Unstoppable to Widden on behalf of the large syndicate that took a punt on the horse as a yearling.
Widden will make 20 of the 40-share syndicate available to clients with Thompson to manage the remainder of I Am Unstoppable's racing career before he retires to stud.
While left to rue what could have been after I Am Unstoppable got shuffled back when Cylinder weakened in the Coolmore, Kennewell has the utmost confidence that his horse can deliver at the highest level in his next preparation.
"He still ran second, beating a Slipper winner home (Shinzo) and now he's got a home at stud. We've just got to get the ultimate success out of the way by winning a group 1," the trainer said.
"He'll go to the Lightning for him first-up. Yes, it's a very good race, but we're not shirking the task nor shying away from anything."
While the terms of the deal are confidential—although Thompson confirmed it includes a significant number of lucrative "kickers"—the 3-year-old has returned his original owners many times their initial AUS$65,000 ($43,550) purchase price as a yearling.
Bred by Belinda Bateman, I Am Unstoppable is the first foal out of her Gimcrack Stakes winning 2-year-old Satin Slipper (Pierro).
I Am Untoppable is Widden's second high-priced stallion purchase in little over a year with Thompson forking out about AUS$15 million in October 2022 to buy Golden Rose Stakes (G1) winner Jacquinot, the son of Rubick, who is about to complete his maiden season at stud in the Hunter Valley.
