Ballycroy Bloodstock is ushering in renovations to their stallion facility by adding two stallions to their roster. Freshman sire and multiple graded stakes winner Collusion Illusion and Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner and current third-crop sire Tamarkuz will stand at the Loretto, Ontario, farm for the 2023 breeding season.
The farm's stallion facility will be new for the 2023 breeding season, with an aqua treadmill for fitness upkeep, a new breeding shed, teasing stalls, and stocks to prep the mares for breeding.
Collusion Illusion, a 5-year-old by Twirling Candy , was a graded stakes winner at ages 2 and 3, winning the Best Pal Stakes (G2) as a juvenile and the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) and Lazaro Barrera Stakes (G3) during his 3-year-old campaign.
From 13 career starts he compiled a record of 5-1-1, earned $480,351, and was graded stakes-placed twice more in the Runhappy Malibu Stakes (G1) and the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2). He concluded his career racing for owners Dan Agnew, Jerry Schneider, Rodney Orr, and MyRacehorse. He was trained by Mark Glatt and later by Greg Tracy.
He is the first foal out of Natalie Grace, an unraced First Dude mare, and his extended maternal family includes graded stakes winners Bahamian Squall and Apriority, grade 1 stakes-placed Amathos, and stakes winners Squall City, Doonesbear, and Oh So Precious.
"Collusion Illusion is an exciting stallion prospect, and we are thrilled to have him standing in Ontario," said Ballycroy director of bloodstock Michaela Kemp. "He is a great addition to our stallion roster, and we look forward to filling his first book of mares this season."
Collusion Illusion will stand for CA$6,000. More details are available on his page in the Bloodhorse Stallion Register.
Tamarkuz was a multiple group stakes winner at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai during his 5-year-old season, and when he moved stateside for his 5- and 6-year-old seasons he earned a pair of graded stakes-placed results in the Kelso Handicap (G2) and Priority One Jets Forego Stakes (G1) for Shadwell Stable and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.
The son of sire of sires Speightstown capped off his racing career with a win in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile where he defeated leading second-crop sire and eventual 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner , and multiple grade 1 winners Accelerate, Runhappy , and Dortmund among others.
"Tamarkuz has been well supported in Kentucky by Shadwell and their mares," said Kemp. "We are looking forward to seeing his progeny progress more on the track with time as the Speightstowns do."
He was a winner at 2, 3, 5, and 6, earning more than $1.8 million during his racing career, and is a half brother to group 1 stakes winner and multiple grade 1-placed Without Parole and stakes-winning, grade 3-placed She's Got You.
His extended maternal family includes earner of $1.9 million, multiple grade 1 winner, and classic-placed Stay Thirsty , graded stakes winners Andromeda's Hero and Spur Wing, and black-type winners Superfly, Time Changes, and Make Change.
Tamarkuz will stand for CA$4,000. For more details visit his Bloodhorse Stallion Register page.
Ballycroy Bloodstock is hosting an open house Oct. 29 at 11:30 a.m. ET at their farm, located at 1796 Concession Road 4 in Loretto, Ont. Both stallions will be on show.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
