Baoma Corporation’s Valiant Minister, a record-priced 2-year-old at OBS, has been retired and will take up stud duty at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala, FL. His 2018 fee will be $2,500 S&N.
“Valiant Minister could have been any kind, everything about him suggested he was a serious racehorse,” said George G. Isaacs, Bridlewood general manager. “He showed at both OBS and Santa Anita that he was a special talent, but unfortunately had a significant stall accident that cut his career short. I believe Florida breeders will be the benefactors now, because this horse has quite a lot to offer. He’s a great blend of Candy Ride and Deputy Minister: big, strapping physical, very well made, a lot of substance, and Candy Ride is on fire with a lot of exciting colts going right now.”
Trained by Bob Baffert, Valiant Minister was purchased by Baoma Corp. for $680,000 at the 2015 OBS June sale for 2-year-olds in training after breezing a bullet eighth of a mile in :09 4/5 seconds. The sale price marked a new OBS June record.
Valiant Minister won on debut at Santa Anita last January, drawing off by 2 ¼ lengths over Lord Simba in a hand ride to stop the clock in 1:08.84 for six furlongs. It was another 12 ¾ lengths back to the third-place finisher. Runner-up Lord Simba came back to break his maiden and then win the Los Angeles S. (G3) at Santa Anita in his subsequent two starts.
Valiant Minister earned some historic speed figures in his maiden-breaking debut. His 3 ½ on Ragozin’s The Sheets and 108 BRIS Speed Rating were both the fastest recorded by a maiden in recent years at Santa Anita.
“Valiant Minister was probably the fastest first-time starter I ever trained. Just super freaky, like a Maclean’s Music,” said Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. “When he broke his maiden, right away, we were thinking we are going to win something huge with this horse. His speed figures were ridiculous. He ran a 3 on The Sheets and a 108 BRIS, which is really just off the charts. I mean, that’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint stuff, but this horse was not a sprinter. He was going to be a great miler at the least.
“(Valiant Minister) showed so much potential that we thought he was better than Drefong, who was just coming off a championship season for Baoma Corp. He was going to be something really really special. Unfortunately he got hurt in a stall accident and we could never get him back. It was probably one of the toughest phone calls when I had to tell the Chus he had hurt himself,” added Baffert.
Out of the Deputy Minister mare Spooky Minister, Valiant Minister is a full brother to G1-placed Moe Candy and G3-placed Holy Candy. His second dam is Grade 1 winner Lunar Spook.
“The Chu family retired Chitu to Bridlewood a couple seasons ago, and he is really off to a great start in Florida. Valiant Minister is a horse that everyone who spent time around him collectively thought was special, and we felt he was deserving of the opportunity to be a stallion,” said Donato Lanni, bloodstock advisor for Charles & Susan Chu of Baoma Corp. “I have already bought some mares, including a session-topper at the recent Keeneland January sale, for the Chus to breed to Valiant Minister, and they are sending others from their broodmare band. We all believe in this horse, and they’re going to support him, both in the breeding shed and by purchasing his best progeny at the sales.”
To view a new video on Valiant Minister, including interviews with Bob Baffert, Eddie Woods, Donato Lanni and George Isaacs, CLICK HERE.
Valiant Minister is now at Bridlewood and available for inspection. For more information about Valiant Minister, or to schedule an inspection appointment, please contact George G. Isaacs at 352-622-5319, or visit BridlewoodFarm.com.
