Ponder, the sire of last weekend’s Messenger Stakes winner Bolt The Duer p,3,1:47.4f ($1,036,063), will be relocated to stand in 2013 at the new Diamond Creek Farm of Pennsylvania, according to farm owner Adam Bowden.
The stallion had stood the past two seasons at Seelster Farms in Ontario. His fee for 2013 will be $4,000.
“We think it’s time for Ponder to stand with the big boys in Pennsylvania, and to be the first at our new farm there,” Bowden said. “His move is not so much about the Ontario situation, as there was some good news there last week. It’s about the horse, who has shown that his progeny can compete with the very best.
“He has two millionaires, a World Champion, and a North America Cup winner, so he’s fulfilled what we’ve always believed: that if given the chance, he could certainly prove himself.
“And at just $4,000, we think it’s a fee that will help drive bookings, and give him an even greater chance to succeed,” Bowden added.
Ponder is far and away 2012’s leading pacing sire in three-year-old average earnings per foal, with a sophomore crop led by World Champion Bolt The Duer, whose 2012 wins besides the Messenger include the $500,000 Adios and the $250,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes Final.
Thinking Out Loud p,3,1:47.4 ($1,123,325), another top son, captured the $1.5-million North America Cup at Mohawk and Lexington’s Bluegrass Stakes and was on the board in a number of classic events.
Diamond Creek Farm of Pennsylvania is located in Wellsville, Pa., just south of Harrisburg. Those interested in further information about breedings should call (717) 638-7100 or email [email protected].