Oscar Performance Leads Mill Ridge Roster at $60,000

Based on a strong year that produced 12 graded stakes performers for Mill Ridge Farm's Oscar Performance, the stud fee for the son of leading sire Kitten's Joy will be raised to $60,000 for the 2026 breeding season. Oscar Performance has been represented by 12 graded stakes performers so far this year led by millionaire World Beater, who captured the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) and was runner-up in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T). By percentage from this year's North Hemisphere starters, Oscar Performance's rate of 9% graded stakes performers is second only to leading sire Not This Time (11%) and higher than other top stallions Into Mischief (7.5%), Gun Runner (6.8%), and Justify (6.5%). "With all the Americans going to Tattersalls to buy the European-bred yearlings, we are reminded how much opportunity exists in the U.S. with turf racing," Mill Ridge Farm's Price Bell said. "We know we went against the current, syndicating Oscar Performance, and thanks to our shareholders, breeders, and his strength and gifts, he joins Diesis and Gone West as a 'breed-shaping stallion' from Mill Ridge." Mill Ridge also released the fees Oct. 15 for its sires Casa Creed, a second-year sire and six-time graded stakes winner, and Aloha West, who won the 2012 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and will be a freshman sire next year. Casa Creed, a 9-year-old son of Jimmy Creed, will stand for $8,500. "We believe Casa Creed has the qualities to contribute to the breed with his talent as a racehorse in four grade 1 wins from (17 grade/group 1) starts," Bell said. "His biggest fan, trainer Bill Mott, said: His soundness, toughness, and quality and that he was never x-rayed in his seven years of racing and 36 starts sets him apart from all others and what our breed needs. "He, too, has a foundation group of breeders as shareholders and excellent support by breeders in his first year," Bell continued. Aloha West, an 8-year-old son of Hard Spun, won six of 13 career starts and banked more than $1.5 million. He will stand for $6,500. "We look forward to Aloha West with his first runners in 2026 for he has a similar pattern as Speightstown, showing exceptional talent early on with Bob Baffert, only to have setbacks which limited his start to racing," Bell said. "Eventually he made nine starts as a 4-year-old, winning five, and culminating with a win in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Physically, he also resembles Speightstown, his broodmare sire, and has the unique pedigree blend of three key stallions in Gone West, Danzig, and A.P. Indy, and traces back to Fappiano on the dam side. "He also has a group of foundation breeders as shareholders who have supported him along with breeders and is tremendous value," he said.