Undefeated Grade I Winner Army Mule to Hill ‘n’ Dale

[Wandering Eyes]

‘TDN Rising Star‘ Army Mule (Friesan Fire-Crafty Toast, by Crafty Prospector), an $825,000 purchase out of the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale and undefeated winner of this year’s GI Carter H., has been retired from racing and will enter stud in 2019 at John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm. He will command a fee of $10,000 LFSN.

Bred in Pennsylvania by Hope Hill Farm, Army Mule was purchased by Scanlon Training & Sales for $35,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic yearling, but improved dramatically over the next seven months and was purchased by Crupi’s New Castle Farm on behalf of Vinnie Viola’s St Elias Stable after breezing an eighth of a mile in :10 flat over the Timonium main track.

Turned over to trainer Todd Pletcher, Army Mule lived up to the hype at first asking, graduating by 8 1/2 lengths to earn the ‘Rising Star’ designation. The 1-5 chalk in a six-furlong allowance at Gulfstream Park this past January, the bay earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure for his 7 1/2-length romp and in what became his final career appearance, turned in one of the most visually impressive performances of 2018, taking the Carter by 6 1/4 lengths. The 114 Beyer awarded Army Mule for that effort is the highest main-track figure up to a mile in 2018.

“Army Mule won his first three starts by more than 22 lengths. His facile win in the Carter in near track record time left no doubt he was a generational talent,” Sikura said. “When breeders see the horse in person, they will be overwhelmed by his presence and understand why he was the talk of the Maryland 2-year-old sale. Undefeated, brilliant and beautiful, the same qualities we saw in Candy Ride and Maclean’s Music, breeders will love him.”

Added Pletcher: “Army Mule was a special talent. He was a pleasure to train with a terrific disposition and gorgeous conformation. He had a high cruising speed that allowed him to win a Grade I sprint, but I also believe he could have carried it over a route of ground had he been given the opportunity.”

WATCH: Army Mule sprints clear in the 2018 GI Carter H.

 

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