GI Cigar Mile victor Sharp Azteca (Freud–So Sharp, by Saint Liam) will take up stud duty at Three Chimneys Farm for a 2019 fee of $10,000 LFSN. The 5-year-old's retirement was announced in September, concluding his career with a record of 17-8-5-1 and earnings of $2,406,740.
“Sharp Azteca was brilliantly fast, and when you watch his races, you will see speed, toughness and tenacity, all three of which are elements we like in a stallion prospect,” said Three Chimneys Chairman Goncalo Torrealba. “We believe that Sharp Azteca can be another offshoot branch of the Storm Cat line through Giant Causeway's full-brother Freud, similar to what Harlan, Harlan's Holiday and Into Mischief did.”
Scoring his first black-type victory in the 2016 GIII Pat Day Mile, Sharp Azteca finished second to Mind Your Biscuits (Posse) in that year's GI Malibu S. Kicking off 2017 with a win in the GII Gulfstream Park H., he was second in last year's GI Met Mile and won both the GII Monmouth Cup S. and GII Kelso H. before just missing to Battle of Midway (Smart Strike) in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. The dark bay would not be deterred and ran back in the Cigar Mile, where he finally secured the Grade I win he had come so close too on three previous occasions.
“When you see Sharp Azteca, he's absolutely striking,” said Three Chimneys' Doug Cauthen. “He is big and powerful and is a true conformation stallion. He was a top class miler who ran superbly in every jurisdiction he competed at Churchill, Belmont, in the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar, and in Dubai [finishing third in the 2017 G2 Godolphin Mile], it didn't matter. He was simply a runner and offers breeders a great value opportunity. Sharp Azteca is the kind that can get them a great looking sales horse and a proper racehorse down the road.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
