Upon his retirement from racing, Olympiad will take up stallion duties at historic Gainesway Farm. To date, Olympiad has won eight of 12 career starts, including five graded stakes victories, highlighted by the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. He possesses both speed and stamina, having won from seven furlongs to 1 1⁄4 miles, earning more than $2 million in the process.
The 4-year-old colt by sire-of-sires Speightstown has been one of North America’s top older males in 2022, boasting six wins from seven starts this season. He is a leading candidate for both Champion Older Horse and Horse of the Year with a scheduled next start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
A precocious juvenile conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, Olympiad broke his maiden at Saratoga by open lengths at two, defeating future graded stakes winners Greatest Honour and Officiating, as well as Caddo River.
Olympiad’s five graded victories this season began with the Mineshaft Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds, where he set a track record for 1 1/16 miles, finishing in 1:42.01. He followed up at the same track with a 2-length score in the New Orleans Classic Stakes (G2), running the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.74 – just missing the track record by a tenth of a second.
His terrific campaign continued to Churchill Downs, where he triumphed in the Alysheba Stakes (G2), defeating two other grade one stakes winners. In his next start, Olympiad won the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) by 2 ¼ lengths in 1:47.66. He registered a 111 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort while beating a Classic winner, another grade one winner and two other graded stakes winners.
His summer culminated at Saratoga with a decisive win in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), topping a field of six other graded winners.
Olympiad is campaigned by owners Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable and LNJ Foxwoods.
Bred by Emory Hamilton, Olympiad is out of the grade three-placed Medaglia d’Oro mare Tokyo Time. This is the immediate family of grade one winner and foundation mare Chic Shirine, from whom 20 graded stakes winners descend. He was purchased from the Gainesway consignment as a yearling for $700,000 by Solis/Litt.
“I have been a huge fan of Olympiad since selling him as a yearling in 2019,” said Gainesway General Manager Brian Graves. “Olympiad has backed up his exceptional looks and pedigree with a tremendous race record. I couldn’t be more excited to stand a horse of his quality and talent at Gainesway.”
An advertised fee for Olympiad’s first season will be announced at a later date.