Kaleem Shah's 'TDN Rising Star' Klimt (Quality Road–Inventive, by Dixie Union) has been retired from racing and will enter stud for the 2018 breeding season at Darby Dan Farm in Lexington. He will command a service fee of $10,000, stands-and-nurses terms, with breeders also afforded the option to participate in the farm's 'Share the Upside' program beginning in 2018. Matt Bowling Bloodstock brokered the deal for Klimt to stand at Darby Dan as part of a syndicate.
A $140,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky yearling turned $435,000 OBS March juvenile, Klimt broke his maiden at second asking at Del Mar, graduating by 5 1/4 lengths while covering the 5 1/2 furlongs in a swift 1:03.37 en route to his TDN Rising Star. He validated the decision with powerhouse performances to win the GII Best Pal S. and the GI Del Mar Futurity, in which he clocked a smart 1:21.80 and for which he earned 94 Beyer. Both the time and figure were the second-fastest in the race in over a dozen years, with only future Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) faster.
Runner-up in the GI FrontRunner S. in his first try around two turns, Klimt was second to future GI Travers S. and GI Pennsylvania Derby hero West Coast (Flatter) in the GIII Los Alamitos Derby July 15 and third to GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile candidate and fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Battle of Midway (Smart Strike) in the Aug. 26 Shared Belief S.
“Klimt was an exceptionally fast 2-year-old, and he possesses a stallion-producing pedigree and a great physical to match. It's a combination we believe breeders are looking for and will gravitate towards,” said Ryan Norton, Stallion Director at Darby Dan. “He was one of the fastest 2-year-olds at OBS last year and was well sold to Bob Baffert, who obviously has one of the best eyes for a horse in our business.
He added, “We invite breeders to come out and see Klimt, as we believe they are really going to like him,” Norton added. “On the heels of the prosperity we have had with Dialed In via our 'Share The Upside' program, we feel Klimt is a perfect fit to continue that success.”
To earn a lifetime breeding right to Klimt through Darby Dan's “Share The Upside” program, breeders will be required to do one of two options: either breed 2 mares in 2018, or breed a mare in 2018 and 2019. Both options will require the breeder to have two total live foals on a stands-and-nurses basis. After that is fulfilled, the breeder will earn a lifetime breeding right starting in 2020 that will last throughout Klimt's stallion career, with zero additional fees associated. Klimt's one-time stud fee is also $10,000 on a standard stands-and-nurses contract for people who do not wish to participate in the “Share The Upside” program.
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