Annapolis, a Grade 1-winning son of War Front, has been retired from racing and will enter stud at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky., for the 2024 breeding season.
A graded stakes winner at two and three in the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher, Annapolis earned over $1.5 million as a homebred for Bass Racing.
He finished second or better in his first seven starts, including a 4 ½-length debut win in Saratoga and a score in the Pilgrim Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park, in which he registered the highest Beyer Speed Figure of any turf juvenile in 2021.
Annapolis then became the first 3-year-old to win the Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes (G1) at Keeneland since 2006, stopping the clock in a stakes-record time of 1:33.29. Earlier that year, he carded victories in the Manila Stakes at Belmont and Saranac Stakes (G3) at Saratoga, as well as a runner-up finish in the Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1).
“Annapolis has been a star since the day he was born,” said Claiborne Farm President Walker Hancock. “Being a $4,000,000 in utero purchase, the bar was high and he lived up to his lofty expectations. He was a graded stakes winner at two, a record-setting Grade 1 winner at three, and hails from an incredible dirt family.”
Hancock continued, “His dam was a graded stakes winner on dirt and was runner up in the Kentucky Oaks. Also in the family are Florida Derby winner Materiality, Alabama winner Embellish the Lace, and Travers winner Afleet Express. With his imposing physique, we believe his offspring will be a success in the sales ring and on the race track.”
By Claiborne Farm’s cornerstone War Front, Annapolis was his sire’s leading earner in 2022, bringing in $1,001,100.
Annapolis will stand for a fee of $12,500 LFSN.