JOHANNES, one of North America’s elite competitors on the turf, will begin his stallion career at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky., following a final start in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
The 5-year-old son of Eclipse Award winner and top sire Nyquist enters this year’s Breeders’ Cup with nine wins in 15 starts and earnings in excess of $1.2 million. Of those nine wins, eight wins have come in stakes company with six against graded stakes competition.
A nine-length Maiden Special Weight winner sprinting 6 furlongs in 1:08.47 as a 2-year-old at Santa Anita Park, JOHANNES then kicked off his sophomore campaign with dominant victories in the Baffle S. and the Pasadena S. at Santa Anita.
JOHANNES, a homebred for Joe and Debby McCloskey, jumped to another level at four, where he started the season with a breakthrough graded victory in the American S. (G3) at Santa Anita Park, running the mile in 1:32.08. From there, he posted Beyer Speed Figures of 100 or greater in six of his next seven starts, beginning with a victory in the Shoemaker Mile (G1), giving him a win at the sport’s highest level in his first try.
That was just the beginning of a 2024 campaign where JOHANNES ultimately won five of six starts, later adding the Eddie Read S. (G2), City of Hope Mile S. (G2), and San Gabriel S. (G2) to his win column. His only defeat that season came in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), where he made a bold bid to finish second by three-quarters of a length and tie a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 103.
JOHANNES comes into this year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile having once again secured a “Win and You’re In” berth by virtue of his victory in the City of Hope Mile, this time taking command in the stretch to win by 1 ¼ lengths and earn a 100 Beyer. He brings a diverse resume into his final start, having won at six furlongs in 1:08.47, 6 ½ furlongs in 1:13.07, one mile in 1:32.08, and 1 1/8 miles in 1:46.50.
“When I think of JOHANNES, instant acceleration comes to mind,” said Tim Yakteen, who trains for the McCloskey’s operation. “He is a superior miler that has sprint speed as well as a wicked finishing kick. He moves like a cat and has a fantastic disposition around the barn – he’s a trainer’s dream.”
The Kentucky-bred JOHANNES is the first foal out of the stakes-placed Congrats mare Cuyathy, who has produced four winners from four foals to race. The McCloskeys bought Cuyathy, their first horse, for $50,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. “JOHANNES has given us the journey of a lifetime,” said Joe McCloskey. “He possesses the heart and determination that is rare, and we were so blessed to have watched him grow into a phenomenal racehorse. We will miss seeing him in training, but we can’t wait to see how beautiful and fast his babies will be.”
Cuyathy’s produce also include multiple stakes winner Sea Dancer and stakes-placed Sea Runner, as well as Soaring Angel, who broke her maiden on debut at Del Mar in July. Cuyathy is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes placed Join in the Dance, as well as the dam of Grade 2 winner Elm Drive and stakes winner Mother of Dragons.
“JOHANNES is a very talented horse that has been on our radar for a while now,” said Claiborne’s President Walker Hancock. “His father Nyquist has proven to be an elite sire, but he doesn’t have a son standing in Kentucky yet, which makes JOHANNES that much more appealing. He is a beautifully made horse with a strong pedigree. His dam is by Congrats, his second dam is by Devil’s Bag and his third dam is by Danzig, so he has Claiborne genetics all throughout his page. The McCloskeys are wonderful people that operate in an old school breed-to-race way that resonates with us. It’s a great fit and we couldn’t be more excited to debut JOHANNES alongside Mindframe. I think breeders are going to love what these two new studs have to offer.”
An advertised fee for JOHANNES will be announced after the Breeders’ Cup.