Breakway Farm is proud to announce the arrival of River Dancer, the talented graded stakes performer sired by Pioneerof the Nile, for stallion duty in 2018.
“We are thrilled to stand the first son of Pioneerof the Nile in Indiana,” said the farm in a news release. “Not only is this handsome horse impeccably bred, but he was a very talented racehorse who was highly weighted on the Experimental Free Handicap at two.”
River Dancer won his first start at two at Belmont Park. Covering the six furlongs in 1:09.81, he electrified his competition by running the final two furlongs in :23 seconds.
After this impressive debut, Godolphin offered $750,000 for him but his owners declined.
River Dancer’s second start, the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga, marked his first attempt at two turns. Shuffled back after the start, he fought his way through thick traffic to finish a game second while defeating Grade 1 stakes winner Wee Miss Artie by four lengths. Once again, his final quarter mile was accomplished in a brilliant :23 seconds.
This performance proved even more impressive when it was discovered soon after the race that he had badly torn a suspensory ligament in it. Rested for 27 months, River Dancer returned at age four to place in several starts before retiring.
His sire, Pioneerof the Nile, was not only a near-champion racehorse but has become one of America’s leading stallions.
His Triple Crown winning son American Pharoah stands at Ashford Stud in Kentucky for a $200,000 stud fee. His first weanlings averaged $445,500 at the November Keeneland sale.
Another son, champion 2-year-old Classic Empire, will enter stud at Ashford in 2018. His Grade 2 stakes winner Cairo Prince is the second-leading freshman sales sire this year, with his offspring averaging $138,279. His stud fee has been raised to $25,000 for 2018.
And Midnight Storm ($1.7 million in earnings)–another Grade 1 winner by Pioneerof the Nile–enters stud in 2018 at Taylor Made Farm.
“River Dancer offers Indiana breeders a unique combination of tremendous sire power, unquestioned racing class and speed, and outstanding conformation,” stated the farm.
River Dancer stands at private treaty, with concessions for stakes-winning and producing mares. Contact Breakway Farm at (812) 584-6028 or (812) 584-1967 for booking information.
(from news release)