Expert Eye Retired To Juddmonte

[Wandering Eyes]

Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB}-Exemplify {GB}, by Dansili {GB}), the winner of last weekend’s GI Breeders’ Cup Mile, has been retired from racing and will enter stud at owner/breeder Juddmonte Farms’s Banstead Manor Stud in 2019 at a fee of £20,000.

Stud Director Simon Mockridge said, “We are delighted to announce the arrival of Expert Eye to Juddmonte Farms. He is the first British-trained winner of the Breeders’ Cup Mile since 1994, further strengthening one of the most exciting young stallion rosters in Europe.”

“This precocious, athletic and well-balanced colt is one of the best sons of Acclamation to race, winning a G2 Vintage S. that was described by Timeform as ‘arguably the most striking performance by a 2-year-old in a pattern race all year.’ That early talent was carried over into his 3-year-old season when he captured the G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot in scintillating fashion, winning by the largest margin this century [4 1/2 lengths].”

“Expert Eye is a fourth-generation Juddmonte homebred whose pedigree boasts the presence of champion 2-year-old filly in Europe and dual Classic winner Special Duty and seven-time Grade I winner Sightseek. He is by Acclamation, a consistent and prolific source of fast horses and the sire of leading stallion Dark Angel. We would like to extend special thanks to Sir Michael Stoute and the teams at Freemason Lodge and Beech Hurst Stables for guiding and developing the career of Expert Eye with such skill.”

Expert Eye joins Frankel (GB), who heads the roster at £175,000; Cartier Horse of the Year and exciting first-crop sire Kingman (GB) (£75,000, up from £55,000); perennial top sire Oasis Dream (GB) (£30,000); and Bated Breath (GB) (£10,000), at Banstead Manor.

“Heading the Juddmonte roster is of course Frankel, who continues to rewrite the record books as a sire as well as a racehorse,” Mockridge said. “He reached the landmark total of 20 Northern Hemisphere group winners this year faster than any other European stallion in the history of the pattern. He has firmly established himself as one of the leading sires in the Northern Hemisphere, second only to his sire Galileo, by group winners (24) and black-type winners (33) from his 2014-2016 crops. 2018 saw him excel domestically and globally, finishing Royal Ascot as the leading sire and with new group winners in France, the U.S., Japan and Australia as well as the UK and Ireland. Highlights include his son Cracksman winning his second successive G1 Champion S. and 2-year-old group winner East coming second in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.”

“Champion miler Kingman has made an exceptional start with his first crop, which has produced five stakes winners to date. Amongst their number is the brilliant Calyx, winner of the G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot and fellow group winner Persian King. His yearlings continue to be well-received at the sales, with a 1,050,000 gns yearling at Tattersalls October Book 1 and the highest-priced colt to sell at Goffs Orby (€850,000) in 2018.”

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