Drefong has been crowned Japan's champion freshman sire of 2021, which includes statistics from regional racing conducted by the National Association of Racing. This is the first time since Casino Drive in 2015 an American-bred sire has led the table and the first time since French Deputy in 2004 a sire imported from the U.S. after his racing career became Japan's champion freshman sire.
Drefong won six of nine starts, including the Ketel One Kings Bishop Stakes (G1) and TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), both in 2016 when he was crowned the U.S. champion sprinter, and the Forego Stakes (G1) in 2017 for owner Baoma Corporation and trainer Bob Baffert. He began stud duty in 2018 at Shadai Stallion Station at a fee of ¥3 million. He covered 209 mares during his first season, which resulted in 129 live foals the following spring.
From Drefong's 92 juveniles to start in 2021, 31 of them won 33 races and earned ¥367,870,000 (US$3,183,367). Drefong ranked fifth among Japan's leading sires of 2-year-olds behind Deep Impact, Epiphaneia, Duramente, and Lord Kanaloa.
Progeny by Drefong collected 16 wins in races at 1,600 meters (about a mile) and longer, and 10 wins in turf races. Drefong's leading earner was Geoglyph, who won two races including the Sapporo Nisai Stakes (G3) and earned ¥45,371,000 ($392,618).
Drefong will stand for an increased advertised fee of ¥7 million for the 2022 season.
