Taylor Made Stallions purchased an interest in leading older horse Graydar, this year’s impressive winner of the Donn H. (G1) and New Orleans H. (G2), back in February following the colt’s impressive Grade 1 Donn victory. Graydar is campaigned by Twin Creeks Racing Stables, which agreed to partner with Taylor Made on the talented 4-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song.
“Graydar is the closest thing I’ve seen to Unbridled’s Song, and obviously we’ve had the privilege to be around a lot of good ones through the years,” said Taylor Made President & CEO Duncan Taylor. “Graydar’s combination of looks, class, and sheer brilliance remind me of his sire, both on and off the racetrack, and he has that special presence about him like Unbridled’s Song had.
“We felt like we had to be a part of Graydar after his awesome performance in the Grade 1 Donn, and we were fortunate enough to partner on the horse back in February with Steve Davison, Randy Gullatt and the Twin Creeks group, who we’ve had a long and good relationship with,” added Taylor. “The entire Thoroughbred community suffered a big loss with the passing of Unbridled’s Song, and we felt it was time to announce some good news. We’re extremely excited and carry big hopes for Graydar. We’ve always felt that he would be a great heir to carry on his terrific sire line.”
Graydar has displayed immense talent from the start, dominating a Gulfstream maiden race by 8 ½ lengths last year in his career debut, earning a 100 Beyer. He returned to capture a one-mile allowance race as a 3-year-old at Gulfstream, stopping the clock in 1:33.72 – just a hundredth of a second off Commentator’s track record of 1:33.71.
Off that impressive allowance score, Graydar stepped right into graded stakes company in the Grade 1 Donn, turning in an electrifying performance to defeat four Grade 1 winners with an easy three-length victory in the prestigious race. He earned a 109 Beyer for the performance, which fittingly gave his sire Unbridled’s Song a landmark of 100 career stakes winners – and his fifteenth Grade 1 winner – as a stallion.
Graydar took his game on the road in his next start, showing another dimension to win the New Orleans H. (G2) from off the pace over several graded stakes winners including Mark Valeski, Bourbon Courage, Flat Out, and more, vaulting to the top of the older horse division in North America.
The imposing gray colt was given a break following his three straight wins, and he’s now back breezing at Saratoga for trainer Todd Pletcher in preparation for his second half of the year campaign, with the primary goal being the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) in November at Santa Anita.
An earner of $601,560 to date, Graydar was bred by William Farish and hails from the Dehere mare Sweetest Smile.
