G1 winner Free Drop Billy sires first foal
January 21, 2020
Free Drop Billy’s first foal: “She’s going to be nice” | Autry Graham photo
Spendthrift Farm stallion Free Drop Billy, the Grade 1-winning 2-year-old by Union Rags, sired his first reported foal on Jan. 19th when a filly was born at Heaven Trees Farm in Lexington, KY.
“This is a good-sized filly with a lot of bone. She’s going to be nice,” said Adolfo Martinez, manager at Heaven Trees.
Bred by Bill O’Neill through Spendthrift’s renowned “Share The Upside” program, the flashy chestnut filly is out of the stakes-placed Purim mare Sweet Diva, whose dam is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire River Bay.
Campaigned by Albaugh Family Stables, Free Drop Billy was one of America’s top 2-year-olds in 2017. After a three-length debut victory going 5 ½ furlongs at Churchill, Free Drop Billy was the favorite in the Sanford S. (G3) and Hopeful S. (G1) at Saratoga in his next two starts, finishing a close runner-up in each. He stretched out around two turns in his fourth start – the 1 1/16-miles Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland – and won going away by four lengths over Bravazo.
In major Derby preps as a 3-year-old, Free Drop Billy finished on the board in the Blue Grass S. (G2), Holy Bull S. (G2) and Gotham S. (G3). He retired to Spendthrift as the only Grade 1-winning son of popular sire Union Rags, with career earnings of $662,470.
Free Drop Billy is out of the Graded stakes-placed and multiple Grade 1-producing Giant’s Causeway mare Trensa, and hails from the family of champion and leading sire Cozzene. Free Drop Billy is a half-brother to multiple Group 1-winning multimillionaire Hawkbill.
Free Drop Billy is set to stand his second season at Spendthrift for a fee of $10,000 S&N. For more information, please contact Des, Mark, or Brian at 859-294-0030, or visit SpendthriftFarm.com.