Creator, winner of the 2016 Belmont Stakes (G1) and Arkansas Derby (G1), has been sold to stand stud in Saudi Arabia after spending eight years in Japan.
The Japan Bloodhorse Breeders Association made the announcement in a Dec. 26 Instagram post, and the news was confirmed by JBBA's Shigeki Yusa on X. The 11-year-old son of Tapit entered stud at the JBBA's Shizunai Stallion Station on the island of Hokkaidō in 2017.
Out of three-time Peruvian champion race mare Morena, Creator was bred in Kentucky by Mt. Brilliant Broodmares and was purchased by WinStar Farm for $440,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Creator raced exclusively for WinStar through his first nine starts. Celebrity chef Bobby Flay bought into the colt ahead of his victory in the Belmont. In addition to his grade 1 victories at age 3, Creator finished third in the Rebel Stakes (G2) and ran in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1), facing the likes of Gun Runner , Arrogate, Nyquist , and Exaggerator.
Creator retired with a record of 3-4-1 from 12 starts for purse earnings of $1,610,320.
From five crops of racing age, Creator has produced 77 winners from 119 starters with progeny earnings of $5,926,806. His most successful progeny is Riko Victor, a three-time winner who placed in the listed JBC Nisai Yushun in 2021 and has earned $392,482.
