Nyquist 2026 Fee to Come, Will Top Darley Roster

Nyquist, the sire of 10 career grade 1 winners, will once again top the Darley Stallions at Jonabell Farm roster after a 2025 season that included grade 1 victories by Cavalieri, Velocity, and Argos. The 12-year-old son of Uncle Mo stood for $175,000 this year but is poised for a price adjustment with four potential starters in the upcoming Breeders' Cup World Championships. Those entrants could include Breeders' Cup Challenge Series winners Argos in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) and Johannes in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T). Other starters could be Nysos in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and Litmus Test in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). New to the Darley roster next year will be grade 1 winner Highland Falls and multiple graded stakes winner First Mission. Highland Falls, a son of Curlin out of 2006 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) winner Round Pond, will stand for $10,000. The Godolphin homebred was a 4-length winner of the 2024 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1), running a career-best 113 Equibase Speed Figure and beating three grade 1 winners. This year he was runner-up by a length to Sierra Leone in the Whitney Stakes (G1), running a 109 ESF and beating grade 1 winners Fierceness and White Abarrio. Darley noted that he is Curlin's only grade 1-winning son out of a multiple grade 1-winning mare. Due to a minor injury, he will miss the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and will be available for viewing at Jonabell during the Kentucky November mixed sales. Four-time graded stakes winner First Mission will also stand for $10,000. He is another Godolphin homebred by Darley's Street Sense, whose sons at stud include star freshman Maxfield and multiple grade 1 winner McKinzie. First Mission won the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) by 2 lengths with a 115 ESF, which equaled his win in the 2024 Alysheba Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. His other graded victories included the 2024 Essex Handicap (G3) and 2023 Lexington Stakes (G3). He was also third in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) to Mindframe and Sierra Leone, beating 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan and Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Hit Show. First Mission will be available for viewing at Jonabell following his final start Nov. 28 in the Clark Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. Freshman sire Maxfield's first 2-year-old runners include stakes winner Max Ciao along with grade 1-placed Five Bars and Englishman, who earned a 97 Beyer Speed Rating after winning his debut by 7 1/4 lengths at Churchill Downs. Englishman is a candidate for the Nov. 29 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2). Maxfield will stand for $50,000 in 2026. Two-time Eclipse champion Essential Quality, whose first juveniles include Ellis Park Debutante Stakes winner Chopsticks, stakes winner Essential Time, and Saratoga Race Course debut maiden winner Aye Eye, will stand for $25,000 next season. Speaker's Corner and Mystic Guide are coming off a strong showing with their first-crop yearlings at the sales and will see their fees remain at $10,000 and $7,500, respectively. Cody's Wish, 2023 Horse of the Year, and grade 1 winner Proxy, who will both have their first weanlings selling during the November sales, will stand for $60,000 and $12,500, respectively. Rounding out the 2026 roster are Street Sense at $40,000, Hard Spun at $20,000, Midshipman at $15,000, and Frosted at $12,500. Consistent elite sire Medaglia d'Oro, whose 30 career grade 1 winners include this year's Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Good Cheer and Alabama Stakes (G1) winner Nitrogen, will be retired from the roster, while future plans for multiple grade 1 winner Sovereignty will be determined after the Breeders' Cup Classic. The complete 2026 Jonabell roster is: