Press release, June 5 2009

Leading sire Medaglia d’Oro acquired by Darley

Medaglia d’Oro, sire of sensational filly Rachel Alexandra, who won the Kentucky Oaks by an astounding 20 1/4  lengths before bettering her male rivals to record an historic victory in the Preakness Stakes, has been acquired by Darley and has relocated to their Jonabell farm.

John Ferguson, Sheikh Mohammed’s Bloodstock Advisor said, “Sheikh Mohammed has been following Medaglia d’Oro’s stud career with great interest and has been most impressed not only by the likes of Rachel Alexandra and many other exciting prospects in his first crop which are now three-year-olds, but also by the quality of yearlings that we have seen at public auction.  We purchased the sale topping Medaglia d’Oro half-brother to Midas Eyes for $1.6m at Calder this year.  He has been renamed Al Zir and he is going well.  Sheikh Mohammed believes that Medaglia d’Oro has a very exciting future ahead of him.”

This year's current leading second-crop sire, Medaglia d'Oro is sire of seven Black type winners and a further six Black type performers, including Payton d'Oro, who won the G2 Black Eyed Susan Stakes just a day before Rachel Alexandra’s Preakness victory; and G3 winner C S Silk.

Medaglia d’Oro was himself an outstanding racehorse, winning G1 races at three, four and five, including the Travers. He retired with earnings in excess of $5.75 million and from 17 career starts, won or placed in 13 Graded events with nine of them G1 contests. He is by Sadler’s Wells’ highly successful son El Prado, sire of more than 70 stakes winners to date including Champion Kitten’s Joy and Breeder’s Cup Mile winner Artie Schiller.

For further information, please contact Olly Tait on 859-255-8537 or otait@darleyamerica.com