Graded Stakes Placed River Dancer to Stand at Byerpatch Farm in Ohio

(from press release)

Ohio breeders will have their first chance to breed to a Grade 2-placed juvenile star sired by PIONEEROF THE NILE when his top-class son RIVER DANCER commences stallion duties at Burke Byer’s BYERPATCH FARM in Lebanon, Ohio in 2021.

RIVER DANCER brings to Ohio breeders a unique opportunity to breed to—and to acquire a lifetime breeding right to–an extremely talented 2-year-old sired by a proven sire-of-sires and leading sire himself.

Breaking slowly in his debut RIVER DANCER recovered to post a resounding win at Belmont Park. His impressive time of 1:09 4/5 for six furlongs was accomplished with an electrifying :23 final quarter mile.

So eye-catching was his quickening performance that a Godolphin representative reportedly offered his owners $750,000 for the colt.

RIVER DANCER didn’t change hands. For his second start he was entered in the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga against more seasoned 2-year-olds. Caught in a traffic jam on the backstretch he roared home with another final quarter mile in :23 to finish second to a multiple Graded stakes-winning WAR FRONT colt. Several future Grade One stakes winners finished behind him.

His ecstatic owners saw in RIVER DANCER a genuine Breeders’ Cup Juvenile contender but that joy was short-lived as their rising star stepped in a hole while pulling up. Diagnosed with a severe rupture in his hind suspensory ligament he was vanned off the track.

RIVER DANCER was weighted at 112 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for these two brilliant performances.

Rather than retire RIVER DANCER to stud his owners elected to bring him back to the races after a 27 month hiatus. He placed once at seven furlongs (in 1:21 4/5) in several starts as a 5-year-old while still bothered by his 2-year-old injury.

RIVER DANCER‘s unquestioned talent coupled with his stellar pedigree creates for Ohio breeders a unique breeding opportunity.

RIVER DANCER joins other sons of leading sire PIONEEROF THE NILE–AMERICAN PHAROAH and CAIRO PRINCE–whose Graded stakes performances as two-year-olds previewed their later success as stallions.

America’s leading second year sire AMERICAN PHAROAH has already sired two Grade 1 stakes winners. America’s leading third-year sire CAIRO PRINCE sired the 2020 Ohio Derby-G3 winner DEAN MARTINI.

Two Grade One stakes-winning sons of PIONEEROF THE NILE—champion CLASSIC EMPIRE and MIDNIGHT STORM—will have their first crops at the races in 2021. Yearlings by CLASSIC EMPIRE sold up to $375,000 this year while MIDNIGHT STORM yearlings sold up to $200,000.

Byerpatch Farm owner BURKE BYER said, “we are very happy to stand this high class son of a proven sire of sires at Byerpatch Farm. My father bred many good racehorses at this farm and we expect RIVER DANCER to carry on this tradition for us. We set a very reasonable stud fee for him and are offering breeders another great incentive by awarding a free lifetime breeding to RIVER DANCER after four seasons are purchased. I believe RIVER DANCER will become a leading Ohio stallion.”

The  handsome 16.1 hand RIVER DANCER will stand at an introductory stud fee of $1,500 live foal. Additional mares will be covered for only $1,000 each. A ten percent booking fee applies to each mare.

Breeders automatically earn a FREE LIFETIME BREEDING RIGHT TO RIVER DANCER after four stud fees have been paid. This unique opportunity offers breeders an even greater value in these uncertain times.

For booking information contact Byerpatch Farm at (513) 304-4249 or Premier Stallions at (859) 221-4845.