http://www.racenet.com.au/mobile/article_breednet.asp?id=100295
Starspangled Banner to Cover 50 Mares
Tara Madgwick
Our story highlighting the first winner in the UK over the weekend for fertility troubled former champion sprinter Starspangledbanner was read off the map, so there is obviously still huge audience interest in the doings of this globe-trotting superstar.
The four-time Group I winning son of Choisir was installed at Rosemont Stud last year under the care of Anthony Mithen, who had a share in the horse originally when he first embarked on his stud career.
"I?ve only got praise for Coolmore and the way in which they?ve allowed me to manage the horse from here on in with Rosemont Stud to be the beneficiary of that,? said Anthony Mithen.
"Everyone from John Magnier all the way down has been very supportive and I can?t thank them enough for giving us this opportunity.?
All efforts are being made to keep Starspangledbanner as a viable stallion and after covering 51 mares last year, enough are in foal to ensure he remains at stud.
"He got 24 mares in foal so nearly 50%, which is an improvement on what his figures were when he first started off and we hope over time we can gradually improve on that,? Mithen revealed.
"We?ll keep him at 50 mares which is a neat number to deal with as he is highly managed to make sure every mares gets the best opportunity to go in foal.
"The fee is very reasonable but we keep it private as we are not looking for big numbers, rather for breeders that genuinely want to support the horse and are happy to commit a mare to him to be covered at least twice.
"You have an even money chance of going in foal and when you consider his fee was $44,000 when he first went to stud, it might be a good gamble if he can produce a few winners with a measure of his own ability.?
Starspanglebdanner had 30 live foals from his first Australian crop born in 2012, which will hit racetracks next season and have sold as yearlings this year for up to $280,000.