Eskendereya, the Wood Memorial winner and early Kentucky Derby favorite before his retirement with an injury, will enter stud at Taylor Made Farm near Lexington, Ky.
Ahmed Zayat and Jess Jackson, who own the Giant’s Causeway colt, announced Monday that they had entered a partnership with the farm. Taylor Made stands six other stallions at the farm, including Unbridled’s Song, and stands 10 other stallions at other locations.
Zayat, Jackson, and Taylor Made have not yet announced a stud fee for Eskendereya, who will begin his stud career in 2011.
Sanford Robertson bred 3-year-old Eskendereya from the Seattle Slew mare Aldebaran Light and sold the colt to Zayat for $250,000 at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale. Eskendereya, named after the Egyptian word for the Egyptian city of Alexandria, carried Zayat’s colors to victory in 4 of 6 career starts. He won the 2009 Pilgrim Stakes by 7 1/4 lengths, then followed up at 3 with scores in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth by 8 1/2 and the Grade 1 Wood by 9 3/4 – performances that made him the Derby favorite.
But trainer Todd Pletcher scratched Eskendereya days before the May 1 Derby due to a soft-tissue injury in his left foreleg. Eskendereya was retired from racing a little over a week later.
Eskendereya’s retirement was announced in conjunction with the sale of an undisclosed interest in his breeding rights. Stonestreet Stables owner Jackson was the buyer.
Zayat, whose Zayat Stables had filed for bankruptcy after being sued by Fifth Third Bank for about $34 million, said at the time that he had sold the undisclosed interest in the colt because he needed “to create value and cash” under his Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization plan.
Zayat and Fifth Third settled mutual lawsuits in late June.
Eskendereya’s dam, Aldebaran Light, won 3 of 5 starts and also has produced Group 1 winner Balmont, by Stravinsky.
