Grade 1-Winning Millionaire Sahara Sky Retired to R Star Stallions in Indiana

Sahara Sky winning the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita (Photo by Benoit Photo)
Sahara Sky winning the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita (Photo by Benoit Photo)

Hall of Fame trainer and co-owner of Sahara Sky Jerry Hollendorfer recently announced that the son of Pleasant Tap has been retired from racing and he will stand his first year at stud at Kerry
Hopper’s R Star Stallions in Anderson, Indiana. Hollendorfer remains a co-owner with Kim Lloyd and MB stallions.

Legendary Tartan Farm trainer/breeder John Nerud often professed ”the best milers make the best stallions” and that adage has been pegged to the Metropolitan Handicap (Gr.1) for good reason. The Met Mile has been the proving ground for potential sire power for decades and is also known as “the Stallion Maker.” In the past 50 years the Met Mile has produced leading sires such as:
Buckpasser, In Reality, Arts and Letters, Nodouble, Cox’s Ridge, Fappiano, Conquistador Cielo, Gulch, In Excess, Holy Bull, Honour and Glory, Langfur, Ghostzapper, Quality Road, Tizway and Shackleford. Newcomers include Honor Code, Palace Malice and Frosted.

To win the one turn Met Mile, a horse must possess speed but must also possess stamina. This uncommon trait is the key that makes the best milers the best sires according to John Nerud.

Sahara Sky displayed both in spades as reflected in his four starts of 2013 that included:
*Winning the Gr.2 Palos Verde. 6 furlongs in 1:07.73, 0 Ragizon, 113 EQB speed rating
*Winning the Gr.2 San Carlos. 7 furlongs in 1:21.21, 112 EQB speed rating
*Second in the Gr.1 Carter Handicap. 7 furlongs in 1:21.38, 115 EQB speed rating
*Winning the Gr.1 Metropolitan Handicap 1 mile in 1:34.12, 110 EQB speed rating

Sahara Sky is sired by Champion Pleasant Tap, a Grade 1 winner of $ 2,700,000 consistently ranked among the leading U.S. sires with 53 stakes winners and $63,000,000 in earnings. Sahara Sky’s dam is Grade 3 winner Seeking the Sky, by Storm Cat. She is the dam of SW Animal Style, by Spanish Steps. Seeking the Sky is a ¾ sister to the dam of  Kentucky Derby (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Nyquist ($5,185,000).

Sahara Sky will stand for a fee of $4,000 payable when the foal stands and nurses. Considerations for multiple bookings and black type producers and breeders who race their own.