Higher Power , a grade 1-winning millionaire by Medaglia d'Oro , will retire to Darby Dan Farm at the conclusion of his racing career and stand in partnership with Matt Bowling Bloodstock, the farm announced Oct. 27.
Campaigned by Hronis Racing and trained by John Sadler, Higher Power is being pointed to the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland. His 2021 fee will be $10,000 for nominations done prior to the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
A winner at 2 and a stakes-placed winner at 3, Higher Power was eventually entered in the 2019 Keeneland April Horses of Racing Age Sale where agent David Ingordo bought him for $250,000 for Hronis Racing. Under the management of Sadler, Higher Power blossomed. His last six races of 2019 produced a 5 1/4-length win in the $1 Million TVG Pacific Classic (G1), a runner-up effort in the Wickerr Stakes, and a pair of thirds in the Awesome Again Stakes (G1) and Breeders' Cup Classic.
"He is all class. He showed his talent and his impressive turn of foot in winning the Pacific Classic in the manner that he did," said Ryan Norton, Darby Dan's stallion director. "He descends from an outstanding Pin Oak family, has a stallion's pedigree, and physically, he is a superb individual."
So far this year, Higher Power has been second in the Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes (G1) and third in the San Diego Handicap (G2). He has a record of 5-2-7 through Oct. 27 and earnings of $1,534,648.
Higher Power turned in his final major work before the Breeders' Cup Classic Oct. 25 at Keeneland where he breezed seven furlongs in 1:25 2/5.
Higher Power was bred in Kentucky by Josephine Abercrombie's Pin Oak Stud, which initially raced the homebred. He is out of the multiple stakes-winning Seattle Slew mare Alternate, who has produced nine winners from nine to race that also include multiple graded stakes-winning Alternation and graded-placed stakes winner Interrupted.
Alternation, by Distorted Humor, became a millionaire at the track with wins in the Peter Pan Stakes (G2), Oaklawn Handicap (G2), Razorback Handicap (G3), and Pimlico Special Stakes (G3). As a stallion, Alternation has sired 2019 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Serengeti Empress along with seven other black-type winners.
Alternate also is a half sister to 1995 Canadian Horse of the Year and multiple grade 1 winner Peaks and Valleys, from the female family of prominent sire Broken Vow, grade 1 winner Mucho Gusto, and of stakes winner and multiple stakes producer Wedding Picture.
Medaglia d'Oro has sired 142 (7%) black-type winners so far worldwide, which includes 73 graded/group winners and six champions.
