Darley in Japan has added to its roster a pair of established stallions that did their racing in North America in classic winner Palace Malice and two-time grade 1 winner Yoshida.
Palace Malice won the 2013 Belmont Stakes (G1) by more than three lengths. He also won the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at 4, a season that saw him amass four graded stakes victories. He is by leading sire Curlin , who is also sire of Godolphin's outstanding multiple Breeders' Cup winner Cody's Wish and he is a half brother to this year's Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1) winner Justin Palace.
Palace Malice wasted little time in getting his career at stud off to a flying start, siring a Breeders' Cup winner in his very first crop when Structor landed the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T). He has sired 23 stakes performers to date, including unbeaten Japanese grade 2-winning juvenile, Jantar Mantar, who is one of four winners from just seven runners in Japan for his sire.
Japanese-bred Yoshida was also a multiple grade 1 winner, remarkably winning at the highest level on both turf and dirt when landing the 2018 Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downs and Woodward Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. He was also beaten by just a length in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot and finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), both in 2018.
Yoshida is a son of Heart's Cry who is also the sire of Japanese stallions Just a Way and Suave Richard. He is out of the grade 1-winning mare Hilda's Passion, also dam of Japanese graded winner Sanctuaire.
Yoshida's first crop of 2-year-olds arrived this season and include two stakes performers and nine individual winners through Dec. 13. His best sales figures to date have been in Japan, with a foal and yearling by him selling for ¥20 million (approx. US$181,235) and ¥23,100,000 ($154,415), respectively.
"In addition to (previously announced) Adayar and Hukum, we are very pleased to introduce two more exciting stallions," said Darley in Japan president Harry Sweeney. "Palace Malice has already had success on the turf in Japan, and Yoshida is a promising stallion who won grade 1 races on both turf and dirt in the United States as a Japanese-bred horse. Even though both stallions raced in the U.S., they are well-known amongst Japanese breeders. With the addition of these two exciting new stallions, we have an even stronger and more varied lineup for next season. We look forward to welcoming you to view these stallions".
Fees for both stallions will be announced at a later date.
In 2023, Palace Malice stood for $7,500 at Three Chimneys Farm and Yoshida stood for $10,000 at WinStar Farm.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
