by Peter Wharton

Stonebridge Regal, the fastest son of former champion pacer Artsplace, North America’s leading sire on six occasions, will stand this season at Yirribee Pacing Stud, Wagga, in the heart of the rich Riverina breeding district of New South Wales at a fee of $4,400 including GST.

A top racehorse in his own right, winning $950,968, Stonebridge Regal defeated the best of his age as a 3-, 4- and 5-year-old. He took a record of 1:48.1, but undoubtedly the highlight of his career was finishing second — timed in 1:47.1 — to Holborn Hanover in the fastest race mile (at the time) in history.

As a 2-year-old Stonebridge Regal was unraced, but displayed such outstanding potential in trackwork that Seelster Farms, one of Canada’s premier Standardbred nurseries, secured a deal to later stand him at stud.

At three he won $608,993. Among his 11 successes were a leg of the Diplomat Series, in which he took his 3-year-old mark of 1:49.3, a leg and final of the Youthful Series, and eliminations of the North America Cup (second in final), Meadowlands Pace (third in final) and Provincial Cup.

Stonebridge Regal at four finished as the runner-up in the U.S. Pacing Championship, a leg and the final of the Classic Series, an elimination of the Breeders Crown and was third in the American-National, while at five he won a prelude of the Graduate Series at The Meadowlands in 1:48.1.

A $100,000 yearling, Stonebridge Regal has been extremely well patronized in his first two seasons at stud in North America, being one of only four stallions in Canada to serve a full book of 160 mares this year.