from Kentuckiana Farms

Lexington, KY — Through a move unprecedented in Standardbred breeding industry history, Kentuckiana Farms announced today that Australasian super sire Christian Cullen will stand at Kentuckiana in North America in 2009.

Christian Cullen, the foremost pacing stallion in the Southern Hemisphere, currently stands at stud duty in Christchurch, New Zealand at Wai-Eyre Farm and commands a service fee of NZ$25,000. Based on the ever-growing progeny earnings record currently being amassed, it is expected that Christian Cullen’s 2008-09 Southern Hemisphere service fee will be NZ$30,000 — making him the most expensive pacing sire in the world.

New Zealander Ian Dobson owns Christian Cullen, the 13-year-old son of In The Pocket. Dobson owned and campaigned him during his spectacular racing career that included 22 wins and career earnings of $1,249,150. Regarded by many as the greatest pacer in Australasian pacing history, Christian Cullen retired from racing as the 1998 New Zealand Horse of the Year after winning 14 Group I and II races including the 1998 Miracle Mile, the 1998 Auckland Cup and the 1998 New Zealand Cup.

Cullen, as referred to by members of the Australasian harness world, has carried the Cullen “X Factor” into his breeding career — his progeny have dominated the annual yearling sales and winner’s circles throughout New Zealand and Australia since going to stud.

In his first crop, Cullen produced the sensational race mare Mainland Banner p,3, 1:56.2; 4,1:55.1 ($684,579), New Zealand’s darling of racing. Mainland Banner won 17 of 22 starts on her way to being named the 2004-05 3-Year-Old Filly of the Year, 2005-06 4-Year-Old Pacing Mare of the Year, Pacer of the Year, Harness Horse of the Year and the first 4-year-old mare to win the prestigious New Zealand Cup.

This dominance has continued into the 2007-08 racing season with Christian Cullen’s stock having eclipsed the record for single season earnings for a sire by amassing over $2.9 million in earnings with over four months of racing remaining.

In the sales arena, Christian Cullen has been equally dominant exerting a profound influence on the recent record breaking yearling sales in New Zealand. At the 2008 PGG Wrightson Australasian Classic Yearling Sales at Karaka earlier this year, Christian Cullen’s yearlings averaged a stunning $89,000 (24 yearlings). With nine $100,000-plus yearlings being sold, Cullen was the sire of eight of the nine, including the two $200,000-plus sale toppers.

At the Christchurch Premier sale, his 34 yearlings averaged just shy of $64,000, with Cullen setting a modern day record for a yearling colt with the sale of $250,000 Tuapeka Mariner.

In the two premier yearling sales combined, Christian Cullen sired an unprecedented three $200,000-plus yearlings, 10 $100,000-plus yearlings, and 20 $50,000 plus yearlings.

Although stallion location details are still being determined, his 2009 service fee has been established at $10,000.

“Establishing the appropriate service fee was a key component of our negotiations. One of our primary goals was to establish a service fee that would afford breeders of all size the opportunity being presented by bringing an outcross stallion of this caliber to North America,” says Kentuckiana’s Ken Jackson.

Christian Cullen’s North America book will be limited to approximately 100 mares.

According to Ian Dobson, “I have been approached by many leading breeding farms over the past few years about bringing Cullen to North America. His dominance as a sire in Australasia has caught the attention of breeders around the world. After meeting with Kentuckiana’s Bob Brady and Ken Jackson in late February, I became convinced that the timing is right and that we have found the right home for Cullen in North America. With Kentuckiana, I believe that Cullen will be best situated to achieve my goal of establishing Cullen as the preeminent pacing sire in the world.”

“We are extremely excited about this unique and limited opportunity and look forward to working with breeders in North America,” added Jackson. “Based upon early expressions of interest and the limited book Cullen will serve, Kentuckiana will be taking pre-booking requests immediately.”