Cogburn will return to Kentucky early after disappointing fertility results in his first season as a shuttle stallion in Australia.
The grade 1-winning son of Not This Time got 143 mares in foal from 194 mares bred in 2025, his first season at WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky. International demand for him was outstanding. However, while in Australia fertility results were lower than his domestic performance and the decision was made to cut short Cogburn's stay in the Southern Hemisphere.
Antony Thompson of Widden Stud said, "We are all terribly disappointed not to have been able to fulfill the obligations to the breeders who had supported Cogburn with a full book, but it's important we do what is in the best interests of Cogburn and the syndicate and resolve this temporary issue."
While he covered well and no abnormalities were found in Australia, WinStar and the Cogburn Syndicate want to investigate the cause and treat him accordingly in preparation for his second season at stud.
WinStar's Elliott Walden said, "We want to get Cogburn home to do more testing to prepare him for his second season at stud. I want to thank Antony and his team for the care of Cogburn during his time in Australia. The test results of his semen have been very good, but we need to dig a little deeper to understand what is going on. He is an important horse for our future, and we want to get him ready for 2026."
