Hit It a Bomb, undefeated 2yo Breeders’ Cup (G1) winner by War Front, retires to Spendthrift

Hit It a Bomb, the undefeated Grade 1-winning 2-year-old and Breeders’ Cup winner by War Front, has been retired from racing and will stand in 2017 at B. Wayne Hughes’ Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, KY as the newest member of the Share The Upside program.

“It has been a priority of ours to be able to offer breeders a top son of War Front through our Share The Upside program. In Hit It a Bomb, we believe we’ve found that horse. He was an undefeated Grade 1 winner at two, with an electrifying turn of foot that he showed when winning the Breeders’ Cup,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift General Manager. “Hit It a Bomb’s full sister, also a Group 1 winner, is arguably the best two-year-old filly in Europe this year, so the family is loaded with talent. This is a great opportunity for breeders to earn a lifetime breeding right in one of the most promising sons of War Front you will find at stud.”

The Share The Upside fee for Hit It a Bomb will be $8,500 on a two-year commitment, and breeders will earn a lifetime breeding right beginning in 2019 after having two live foals and paying the stud fees. For breeders not interested in the Share The Upside program, Hit It a Bomb will be offered for $7,000 on a standard stands and nurses contract.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Hit It a Bomb broke his maiden first-time out as a 2-year-old before dominating his second start a month later by 4 ½ lengths. Making just his third start, the talented bay colt overcame the 14 post to display an electric turn of foot and prove best in the $1,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Keeneland, defeating a full field of rivals in the championship event. Hit It a Bomb was the only Breeders’ Cup winner from three one-mile turf races to close ground and win despite a sluggish early pace, successfully closing out an undefeated 2-year-old campaign.

This year as a 3-year-old, Hit It a Bomb placed in a pair of Group races at a mile before overcoming a troubled trip to finish well in the recent Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Santa Anita. He earned a 100 Beyer in his final performance, and retires with career earnings of $626,821 for owner and breeder Evelyn Stockwell.

Out of the stakes-winning Sadler’s Wells mare Liscanna (Ire), Hit It a Bomb is a full sister to recent Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) winner Brave Anna, a leading 2-year-old filly in Europe and 2016 Cartier nominee for Champion Two-Year-Old Filly.