Coolmore America and Mike Repole announced Oct. 20 that Fierceness will take up stud duties in 2026 at Coolmore's Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky., following his final start in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
Fierceness opened his account at first asking in a maiden special weight at Saratoga Race Course in August 2023 as a 2-year-old.
"That was a pretty awesome performance ... he's a special talent," said trainer Todd Pletcher following Fierceness winning the 2023 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita Park. He powered clear at the top of the stretch, leaving a top-class field of juveniles in his wake to score by the easiest of 6 1/4 lengths, sealing the Eclipse Award for champion 2-year-old male in the process.
Fierceness notched his second top-level success in the 2024 Florida Derby (G1) in emphatic style, crossing the line 13 1/2 lengths clear of his nearest rival under a firm hold by Johnny Velazquez.
Already 2-for-2 at Saratoga, following his 2-year-old maiden special weight and the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) success in late July 2024, Fierceness returned to the Spa little over three weeks later to take one of the hottest renewals of the Travers Stakes (G1). Deploying his devastating acceleration at the top of the straight, Fierceness took 3 lengths out of the field, putting to the sword subsequent Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna in second, with eventual champion 3-year-old male Sierra Leone in third and Belmont Stakes (G1) and Haskell Stakes (G1) winner Dornoch 8 1/4 lengths further adrift in fourth.
Fierceness rounded off his 3-year-old campaign at the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar. Having attended blistering fractions throughout, he burned off all but one of his rivals, Sierra Leone, with eight individual grade 1 winners behind.
Targeting the Breeders' Cup Classic again in 2025, Fierceness remained in training and added a further two successes to his resume. He took the Alysheba Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs in a track-record time in May, with a Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) defeat of top-class 3-year-old Journalism in late August, laying down a marker once again to any Breeders' Cup Classic contenders.
"Fierceness isn't just a racehorse—he's family. He represents everything we've built and believe in at Repole Stable. From the day he was born, we knew he was special," said Repole, who owns the horse with Coolmore partners. "He's a grade 1 winner at 2, 3, and 4, a Breeders' Cup champion, an Eclipse Award winner and a horse who showed heart, grit, and freakish talent."
"Fierceness hails from a young and hugely exciting family of his owner/breeder, Mike Repole," commented Coolmore manager Dermot Ryan. "His track record speaks for itself. A Breeders' Cup Juvenile-winning champion 2-year-old who further enhanced his profile with grade 1 victories at 3 and 4 years, consistently posting massive Beyers in the process. He is an outstanding physical from a hugely successful sire line and out of a sister to Wood Memorial Stakes winner Outwork. We got together with Mike Repole with an outstanding Saratoga maiden special weight, Eclipse Award, and Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner before, and we all know how good Uncle Mo turned out to be. With his credentials, there's no reason to believe that Fierceness won't be every bit as good."
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
