The Japan Bloodhorse Breeders Association last week announced stud fees of 14 stallions for the 2023 breeding season, and it is confirmed that Caravaggio, newly recruited from Ashford Stud, will stand for ¥3,000,000 (US$19,870).
The purpose for JBBA to stand stallions is to support local breeders who operate small-to-medium-sized businesses, and fees for their stallions tend to be set below market rate. It is why the fee for Caravaggio is nearly half of what it was in 2021, when he stood for $35,000.
The son of Scat Daddy, trained by Aidan O'Brien, won five graded stakes in Europe, including the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (G1) and the Commonwealth Cup (G1), both at six furlongs. He started to stand at Coolmore in Ireland in 2018 and was relocated to Ashford in 2020.
Caravaggio's first crop are 3-year-olds this year and has sent four graded stakes winners, including Tenebrism, who took the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) and Haras d'Etreham Prix Jean Prat (G1).
The fee for Declaration of War, who sends Queen's Elsa, second in the in Kikyo Stakes, from his first Japanese crop, is slightly raised from ¥2,300,000 (US$15,573) in 2022 to ¥2,500,000 (US$16,926) in 2023.
The fee for Mischievous Alex, who started to stand at JBBA in 2021, when he covered 135 mares and was the busiest stallion there, is unchanged at ¥1,200,000 (US$8,125).
