Graded stakes-placed winner American Pastime will join the Swifty Farms' stallion roster for the 2022 breeding season. The 7-year-old sprinter by Tapizar will stand for $1,500 with a stands and nurses guarantee.
Trainer Bob Hess Jr. bought American Pastime, bred in Kentucky by Glendalough, for $135,000 out of the Shawhan Place consignment at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The colt was raced by Judith Huarte, Bert Lane, Mike Mowrey, Jan Duitsman, and Gary Woods.
American Pastime won his debut at 3, taking a six-furlong maiden special weight at Santa Anita Park in near gate-to-wire fashion by 4 1/2 lengths. He won three of his seven starts that year and placed in two other races, which included a runner-up finish in the 2017 Gallant Bob Stakes (G3) at Parx Racing to grade 2 winner Coal Front . He also finished a good fourth that year in the TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Del Mar behind Roy H, Imperial Hint , and Mind Your Biscuits, beating future multiple grade 1 stakes winners Drefong and Whitmore.
"His speed was fantastic on the track; he was an extremely fast horse," said co-owner Mowrey. "His Beyer numbers early in his 3-year-old year were phenomenal and with zeroes and ones on ThoroughGraph, which is why he fit into the sprinter mold."
Mowrey said he and Hess discussed trying the colt at a mile, but American Pastime suffered a bruised foot at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which prevented him from returning to racing at 100%. The dark bay retired with $280,035 in career earnings.
"His best attribute is his speed, but his personality is unparalleled to any horse I've ever owned," continued Mowrey. "He's a very smart horse. He's calm, cool, and collected, but when he got on the track, he meant business. If he passes on his speed and his personality, I think his foals will be pretty precocious."
Mowrey said he chose to stand American Pastime at Swifty Farms, near Seymour, Ind., because of the farm's location and the benefits the Indiana state-bred program offers stallion owners.
"With the breeding program they have in Indiana and the sire awards, it was very attractive," he said. "The location of Swifty, with the proximity to Kentucky and surrounding states, was perfect. And the cherry on top was Swifty's addition of (stallion manager) Jerri Harmon. I just felt that he will be in a good place, and if you're in a good place, good things happen. That's why I wanted to give him that opportunity."
"We think the addition of American Pastime to our roster will expand the offerings Swifty Farms has, as well as bring a new set of bloodlines to the state," said Harmon. "He's settled in quite well, and we're looking forward to seeing what his breeding season brings us."
The late Tapizar, a son of Tapit , won the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and as a stallion has sired 13 black-type winners so far, which include multiple champion Monomoy Girl. American Pastime is out of the Valid Expectations winner Ryan's Inheritance, who is a half sister to multiple grade 1-placed, grade 2 winner Victory U. S. A. (Victory Gallop).
