Leofric, a Grade 1-winning son of perennial leading sire and sire of sires Candy Ride (ARG), is being relocated from Rockridge Stud in New York to Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky for the upcoming breeding season, Darby Dan Farm announced today. His 2022 fee has been set at $7,500 S&N.
Winner of the prestigious Clark H. (G1) at Churchill Downs and the Fayette S. (G2) at Keeneland in back-to-back starts, as well as the West Virginia Governor’s S. (G3) in 2018, Leofric bankrolled $951,040 in an exceptional racing career. All told, he won eight of 14 career starts and placed in four others, including a close third-place finish in the historic Woodward S. (G1) at Saratoga after leading to the final furlong. Retired to stud in 2020, Leofric is represented this year by his well-received first foals.
“There’s a lot to like about Leofric. He has a stallion’s pedigree, and his first foals are outstanding,” said Ryan Norton, stallion director at Darby Dan Farm. “Being a Grade 1 winner by Candy Ride, it makes a lot of sense to bring him to Kentucky now to give him every opportunity to succeed as a stallion and carry on his sire’s legacy. We are excited to share him with breeders.”
By Candy Ride, sire of Horse of the Year and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Gun Runner (2022 stud fee of $125,000), an earner of $15,988,500 and runaway leading Freshman Sire this year, Leofric is among his esteemed sire’s top earners, which also include the likes of Grade 1 winners Shared Belief ($2,932,200), Game Winner ($2,027,500), who stands for $30,000; Misremembered ($1,306,709); Vekoma ($1,245,525), who stands for $17,500, and many others. Candy Ride has sired 17 Grade 1 winners and six champions.
Leofric is produced from the Unbridled’s Song mare Lady Godiva, a half-sister to multiple Graded stakes winner Multiple Choice and stakes-placed multiple stakes producer Proposal. His second dam, Lady of Choice, is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner and Grade 1 producer Well Chosen and Grade 3 winner In Contention. Leofric was a $330,000 purchase at the 2014 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Leofric will stand as the property of a syndicate. For more information about Leofric, contact Ryan Norton at (859) 254-0424, by email at [email protected], or visit DarbyDan.com.
