Harlocap Is First Justify Son to Stand in Canada

Leading Ontario breeder T.C. Westmeath Stud Farm is shoring up its roster this year with the addition of new stallion Harlocap, the first and only son of 2018 American Triple Crown winner Justify to stand in Canada. The farm owned by John Carey took a double hit last year when it lost five-time leading Canadian sire Old Forester due to old age at 23 in November and lost 2024 leading Canadian sire Souper Speedy after a paddock accident in October. "We need a few good sires, we need about three or four good ones. This horse is going to step in on pedigree," said Carey, noting that Harlocap's dam, Mezinka, is a half sister to prominent stallion Pioneerof the Nile, who sired 2015 American Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. "(Pioneerof the Nile) makes a huge difference and really strengthens Harlocap's pedigree as a sire," he said. "I have been lucky over the years to have top sires in Ontario. Harlocap has a great presence to him. He is a lovely balanced horse with a good hip. He has that power in the back end." Breed First bred Harlocap in Kentucky and then offered him at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale where Hoby Kight bought him for $150,000 out of Runnymede Farm's consignment. The colt would be pinhooked through Pick View's consignment at Fasig-Tipton's 2022 The Gulfstream Sale, where he worked a quarter-mile in :20 4/5 and sold for $275,000 to Marvin Boyd. He was later offered again during the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale where he sold for $400,000 after working a furlong in :10 1/5. Harlo Stables bought Harlocap at the Maryland sale and began racing him with partner Jeremia Rudan's Villa Rosa Farm. Harlocap became a winner in his third career start, winning at 1 1/16 miles by 4 1/2 lengths. What followed was a string of near misses and frustrations caused by bad racing luck and niggling injuries. He finished second by the narrowest of noses in the 2023 Texas Derby and went on to run third in the 2024 Pimlico Special Stakes (G3) behind Pyrenees, who is a multiple grade 1 stakes-placed grade 3 winner with seconds in the 2024 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) and Stephen Foster Stakes (G1), and Kingsbarns, who won the Stephen Foster. Harlocap made his last start in August at Saratoga Race Course for Villa Rosa Farm and partner Michael Kimel. The colt then retired with a 2-3-2 record in 12 starts and $285,253 in earnings. "I feel his race record and earnings are deceiving because he was competitive at the top levels," said Rudan, who lives in Ontario and retained an interest in Harlocap. "He is just a notch below the great ones. We feel for the Canadian market, he has it all." Carey agreed. "If he had not run into those little problems, I would not have him. He'd be too expensive," he said. "It is a question of the horse you want or the horse you need, and the horse you need is what is important here. I don't invest in a horse unless I have a good feeling about him. I think he is going to be a very strong sire." Harlocap enters stud at CA$3,500.