Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Exaggerator to stand at WinStar upon retirement

WinStar Farm has entered into an agreement to acquire the breeding rights to recent Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner and 2016 Kentucky Derby (G1) contender Exaggerator. 

“We’re very excited to be able to add a top son of Curlin to our future stallion roster,” said Elliott Walden, WinStar President & CEO. “Exaggerator has been among the best of his class for two seasons now. I love his consistency, his 2-year-old form, and his ability to stretch out and win the Santa Anita Derby. He’s won at four different racetracks, east coast, west coast, it doesn’t matter. Exaggerator is an extreme racehorse, and, physically, he’s absolutely beautiful.”

Exaggerator will continue to be campaigned by owners Big Chief Racing, LLC, Head of Plains Partners LLC, Rocker O Ranch, LLC et al and trainer Keith Desormeaux, and at the conclusion of his racing career he will retire to WinStar Farm in Versailles, KY to take up stud duty. 

By Horse of the Year Curlin, Exaggerator scored his biggest victory to date earlier this month with an emphatic 6 ¼-length romp in the $1 million Santa Anita Derby (G1), stamping himself as one of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 7th. His 103 Beyer earned in that performance marks the fastest among all contenders for this year’s Run for the Roses.

Exaggerator was one of the most accomplished juveniles of his crop a year ago, earning just shy of a million dollars with marquee victories in the Saratoga Special S. (G2) and $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot S. (G3). He was also runner-up in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland, beaten just three lengths after getting forced out wide early in the race.

This year, Exaggerator was a close runner-up to champion Nyquist in the San Vicente S. (G2) at Santa Anita in his seasonal debut, and was a close third in the San Felipe S. (G2) after producing a big middle move to get into contention. The striking dark bay colt put it all together in the Santa Anita Derby, setting him up for the Triple Crown run ahead.

An earner of $1,671,120 to date, Exaggerator owns four wins and three other placings from nine career starts. He is out of the Vindication mare Dawn Raid, a stakes-placed 2-year-old performer herself and half-sister to Canadian champion Embur’s Song.

Exaggerator is set to fly to Churchill Downs from his Santa Anita base on Tuesday, and he’s scheduled to have his final pre-Derby breeze over the track at Churchill this Saturday.

Upon retirement to stud, Exaggerator will be syndicated by WinStar.