Leading 3-year-old Oxbow, this year’s Preakness (G1) hero by Awesome Again, has been retired and will stand at Taylor Made Stallions for the 2014 breeding season.
“We are absolutely thrilled and very appreciative that Calumet Farm has made the decision to stand Oxbow at Taylor Made, along with their plans to support his stallion career,” said Ben Taylor, Vice President of Taylor Made Stallions. “To us, Oxbow is the classic, two-turn dirt horse that both the breeders and yearling buyers look for. He was a major contender in every Triple Crown race and is one of the toughest horses I’ve seen in some time.”
Campaigned by Calumet Farm, Oxbow broke his maiden by 4 ¾ lengths while sprinting as a 2-year-old at Churchill Downs. He then went on a run of nine straight graded stakes starts – six Grade 1s – at seven different racetracks in seven different states, and six different distances. The talented colt became a leading contender on the 2013 Kentucky Derby trail after a front-running, 11 ½-length victory in the LeComte S. (G3) at Fair Grounds in his 3-year-old debut.
Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Oxbow faced one near-miss after another with unlucky trips in races like the Risen Star S. (G2) and Rebel S. (G2) this spring. In the second jewel of the Triple Crown, Oxbow used his signature high-cruising speed to score his biggest career win over the country’s best 3-year-olds in the $1 million Preakness S. (G1) at Pimlico, earning a 106 Beyer and vaulting to the top of the 3-year-old division.
Oxbow returned to New York three weeks later to finish a game runner-up in the Belmont S. (G1) after being involved in the fastest paces set in the final leg of the Triple Crown since 1973 when Secretariat won the Belmont. Oxbow also became the only 3-year-old in 2013 to finish first or second in two Triple Crown races. He retires with earnings of $1,243,500.
“There’s so much to like about Oxbow,” said Lukas. “When we bought him as a yearling, he was so athletic that it looked like you could put a saddle on him and run him. He was one tough son of a gun and as durable as they make them. On top of his great pedigree, Oxbow has the most important trait a stallion needs, and that’s his natural speed and ability to carry it over a distance of ground.”
Oxbow’s Preakness triumph gave Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens the biggest win of his comeback from retirement, and it served as one of racing’s signature moments of 2013.
“Oxbow is a special horse,” said Stevens. “He has the speed of a sprinter, stamina of a classic winner, and the heart of a champion. And he’s so intelligent.”
A $250,000 yearling, Oxbow is the first American classic winner by Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Awesome Again. His dam, Tizamazing, is a full sister to two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Tiznow.
Oxbow will stand his first season for a fee of $20,000 stands & nurses. For more information, please contact Travis White at 859-885-3345, or visit TaylorMadeStallions.com.
