Champion juvenile and ‘TDN Rising Star‘ MGISW Fierceness (City of Light) will join the ranks at Ashford Stud upon his retirement from racing, the farm announced via release Sunday.
The champion juvenile from 2023 is a leading GI Breeders’ Cup Classic contender and will likely be one of the favorites at post-time. Of the others, Coolmore will have two other rooting interests as well with ‘TDN Rising Star‘ GISW Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) and ‘TDN Rising Star‘ MG1SW-Eng City of Troy (Justify) in the race. That group accounts for three of the first four in the wagering.
Trainer Todd Pletcher said that no decision had been made as to the horse’s retirement, and that running him at four was certainly in the discussion. “I don’t think any decision on his retirement is going to be made until after the Breeders’ Cup, and I’m sure we’ll have discussions as to what is the best route for the horse. He was a fantastic two-year-old that has carried it on to three and is physically improving, so I would think that a consideration of a four-year-old campaign will be in the discussions.”
Owner Mike Repole has retained a significant stake in the horse as a stallion.
“Even though this is breaking news, Fierceness’s stallion rights were negotiated after the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to Coolmore America,” said Repole in a statement released on X.
“I am staying in with a significant share in Fierceness’s breeding rights. The plan is to win the Breeders’ Cup and beat Coolmore’s City of Troy. This negotiated deal also includes a provision for Fierceness to run back as a 4YO. Coolmore will receive 50% of Fierceness’s racing rights for his 4YO campaign.”
“When negotiating the deal a year ago, I was very clear with Coolmore that I wanted this horse, if healthy and sound, to run as a 4YO. Coolmore is also of the understanding that I am clearly for, and aggressively pushing, an industry-wide mare cap of 200 mares per stallion. Not to get too far ahead of myself, but I would love for Fierceness to start his 4YO campaign in the Saudi Cup.”
Fierceness was a runaway winner of the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita by 6 1/4 lengths last year, and turned the GI Florida Derby into an exhibition early this spring, winning by 13 1/2 lengths en route to his start in the GI Kentucky Derby. Finishing 15th in America’s premier Classic, he returned to the races in late July in the GII Jim Dandy Stakes with redemption in mind, and claimed it by a length over Sierra Leone. He was last seen defeating ‘TDN Rising Star‘ MGISW Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) by a head in the GI Travers Stakes.
Out of Nonna Bella (Stay Thirsty), who has also produced the track-record setting full-brother GSW Mentee, Fierceness hails from a female line that has produced GISW Outwork (Uncle Mo) and MGSW Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile). Second dam Nonna Mia (Empire Maker) was a runner-up in the GI Frizette Stakes, and is a half-sister to the latter stallion.
“Fierceness hails from a young and hugely exciting family of his owner/breeder Mike Repole,” commented Ashford manager Dermot Ryan. “He is an outstanding physical and has proven himself to be a champion on the dirt at both 2 and 3 years.”
“We’re tremendously excited to welcome Fierceness to Ashford, be it this year or next. We will discuss his future with Mike, Todd [Pletcher] and the team following what looks to be the race of the year in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.”