Heartland , a profitable son of Justify and a half brother to Traditional Empire , will stand the 2025 breeding season at WinStar Farm, it was introduced Sept. 5. Heartland will stand for $10,000 with a stands and nurses assure.
“One would possibly ask, ‘Why stand a maiden winner?’ Effectively, he appears to be like the half, he is by Justify, and he is a half brother to Traditional Empire,” stated Elliott Walden, president, CEO, and racing supervisor for WinStar Farm. “It makes excellent sense to us as a result of we all know what we had. He has all of the credentials—pedigree, elite means, and appears. We felt he had the power of a grade 1 winner.”
Heartland was extremely regarded throughout the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale the place he offered for $575,000 to Maverick Racing and Siena Farm from Highgate Gross sales’ consignment. The colt would race for China Horse Membership, Siena Farm, and WinStar Farm and flashed brilliance in his his debut July 29 final 12 months at Del Mar, the place he went 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.20—the quickest time of any 2-year-old on the distance at Del Mar or Saratoga Race Course final 12 months. Educated by Bob Baffert, Heartland earned an 88 Equibase Pace Determine and a 90 Beyer Pace Determine for his efficiency.
“The way in which he’s bred and the way in which he appears to be like, the primary time we breezed him I knew we have been sitting on one thing actually particular,” stated Baffert. “When a 2-year-old runs in 1:03 and alter that’s actually particular. That is quick. I assumed he simply stamped himself as one of many high 2-year-olds within the nation. He was my horse.”
China Horse Membership bred Heartland out of the Cat Thief mare Sambuca Classica, the dam of seven winners from 9 foals to race. Her high performers embody Traditional Empire, the 2016 champion 2-year-old colt and a grade 1 winner at 2 and three. A son of Pioneerof the Nile, Traditional Empire gained the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at 2 and went on to seize the Arkansas Derby (G1) and run second within the Preakness Stakes (G1) at 3. As a stallion, Traditional Empire has sired 2023 Arkansas Derby winner Angel of Empire and graded/group stakes winners Stylish Version , Interstatedaydream , Morello , and Orestina. His progeny so far have earned greater than $17 million.
Justify, a son of Scat Daddy and winner of the 2018 Triple Crown, is the main North American third-crop sire by progeny earnings and by variety of black-type winners with 14 12 months so far. By cumulative outcomes for his first three crops, Justify leads his sire class by progeny earnings (greater than $25 million), variety of stakes winners (30), variety of graded/group stakes winners (14), and variety of grade/group 1 winners with six, as of Sept. 5. He additionally ranks fourth on the overall main sires record.
Justify has sired three champions: 2023 champion 2-year-old filly and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner Simply F Y I , 2023 European champion 2-year-old colt and four-time group 1 winner Metropolis of Troy , and 2023 European champion 2-year-old filly Opera Singer . Extra grade 1 winners by Justify embody Exhausting to Justify , Arabian Lion , and Aspen Grove .