Spendthrift Farm has acquired the breeding rights to recent track record-setting TVG.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) winner Cyberknife .
The two-time grade 1-winning millionaire by Gun Runner will stand stud at the farm near Lexington at the conclusion of his racing career. He is campaigned by Al Gold's Gold Square and is being prepared by trainer Brad Cox for a run in the Aug. 27 Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
"We are grateful to Al Gold and his team for allowing us to acquire the stallion rights to such an exciting horse as Cyberknife," said Ned Toffey, general manager of Spendthrift. "Gun Runner has certainly asserted himself as a serious sire with his first crop, and Cyberknife is his only multiple grade 1-winning son, having impressively won two of America's biggest million-dollar grade 1s for 3-year-olds—the Arkansas Derby (G1) and Haskell.
"Cyberknife is a very good-looking, very athletic colt, and I know their team believes that he is only getting better. He will be a wonderful addition to our roster when his racing career is over. In the meantime, we very much look forward to seeing what Cyberknife can accomplish on the track."
Cyberknife bested grade 1 winners Taiba and Jack Christopher in the Haskell July 23 at Monmouth Park, setting a track record of 1:46.24 for 1 1/8 miles on a fast main track and earning a berth in the Nov. 5 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland. Prior to Haskell Day, the track record was 1:46 4/5, established by Spend a Buck in 1985.
Earlier this year, Cyberknife emerged on the 3-year-old scene with a 2 3/4-length victory in the $1,250,000 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. Trained by Brad Cox, the chestnut colt also captured the Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs in June, to date compiling five wins from nine starts with earnings of $1,596,520.
"I'm excited about teaming with Spendthrift on Cyberknife, and I look forward to watching him have a productive stallion career," said Gold. "Cyberknife is a very athletic, tractable colt. You saw (jockey) Florent (Geroux) use him at multiple points to be able to make the winning move in the Haskell, which produced one of the fastest Ragozin numbers by any 3-year-old. We are very excited about him in the Travers and further down the road in the Breeders' Cup Classic."
The chestnut colt worked a half-mile in :49.96 at Saratoga Aug. 6 in his first breeze since the Haskell.
"Cyberknife has always been a tremendous talent from day one, and he's continued to get better as a 3-year-old," said Cox.
Bred by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Cyberknife was a $400,000 purchase from Ramsey Farm's consignment to the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase by agent Joe Hardoon. He is out of the multiple stakes-winning Flower Alley mare Awesome Flower and hails from the immediate family of multiple grade 1 winner Well Armed.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
