Halladay, a grade 1 winner by the top international sire War Front, has been retired from racing and will commence his stallion career in 2022 at Harris Farms in California, as the property of a syndicate led by Adrian Gonzalez of Checkmate Thoroughbreds. He will be the only grade 1-winning son of War Front to stand west of Kentucky and his only stakes winning son in California.
Halladay's advertised introductory fee is $7,500, live foal stand and nurse guarantee, with shares available.
Campaigned by Harrell Ventures and trained by Todd Pletcher, Halladay won six races including three stakes, earning $565,245. His greatest victory occurred in the 2020 Fourstardave Handicap (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course, where he defeated grade 1 winners Got Stormy, Casa Creed, Raging Bull , Without Parole, Uni, and Valid Point while leading wire-to-wire, stopping the clock on good turf in 1:33.32. In his next race, Halladay set the pace in the 2020 FanDuel Breeder's Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T) at Keeneland until deep stretch. He finished sixth beaten only 2 1/2 lengths.
"Halladay was a very talented colt," Pletcher said. "He was precocious with elite cruising speed. He never had a bad day on the track and was a pleasure to train. He has the best qualities of his sire and broodmare sire and makes for an extremely exciting stallion prospect."
Gonzalez said: "Halladay is a grade 1 winner by War Front out of a graded stakes-winning Tapit mare. War Front is North America's leading sire by percentage of stakes winners and grade 1 winners to foals. Tapit has led the general sire list three times and has been a top five sire for nine of the last 10 seasons. (Halladay) is a gorgeous, well balanced horse standing 16.1 hands. It is a rare opportunity to launch a stallion with this genetic makeup that is a grade 1 winner in California, and we we are thrilled to present him."
War Front is the sire of eight champions, 23 grade 1 winners, and 100 black-type winners. He is the leading sire in North America by percentage of stakes winners, percentage of graded stakes winners, and percentage of grade 1 winners from racing age foals through 2021. In North America, War Front's grade 1-winning sons at stud include The Factor , Omaha Beach , and War of Will , all of whom stand in Kentucky.
Halladay was bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds and Winchell Thoroughbreds out of the Tapit mare Hightap, winner of the Iowa Oaks (G3) and Dogwood Stakes (G3). He was sent through the ring at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Gainesway but did not meet is reserve. Agent Steve Young then purchased Halladay privately at the sale for $225,000.
