The most exciting stallion prospect to enter stud in the Mid-Atlantic in years has to be FRIESAN FIRE. He checks all the boxes:

• Speed at two: he won his first start by three lengths, then placed in Gr. 2-Futurity;
• Early form at three: he swept the three Louisiana preps for the Kentucky Derby;
• Trained on at four: he won the Louisiana Handicap, and earned $679,356;
• Strength in the dam: he is out of Gr. I-winner Bollinger, who is out of champion Bint Marscay;
• By a sire of sires, A. P. Indy.

Sons of A. P. Indy became collector's items in 2011, when it was announced that the brilliant son of Seattle Slew would be retired from active service due to age.

Graded stakes winning sons of A. P. Indy out of champion families such as Friesan Fire's are in great demand. Friesan Fire's dam, Bollinger, won the Grade One Coolmore Classic. His second dam, Bint Marscay, was the fastest filly in Australia in 1992 and 1993, winning the Grade One Golden Slipper Stakes. Bint Marscay's other foals include Grade 2 winner Mannington, dam of Grade 1 Victoria Derby winner Benicio. There are a lot of Graded Stakes names in this pedigree.

After re-locating Malibu Moon from Country Life to Kentucky in 2003, we began a long search for another son of A. P. Indy with a chance to duplicate that success. Other regional farms attempted it with sons of A. P. Indy, but none combined the "dirt form" so necessary for sire success in America. Speed makes sires. Just prior to the Kentucky Derby, Friesan Fire sizzled five furlongs in :57 4/5. That's why Friesan Fire is different from other sons of A. P. Indy. He could fly. Just like Malibu Moon, who broke his maiden in (guess what?) :57 4/5!

A hallmark of sire prospects is precocity. Friesan Fire broke his maiden in his very first start, a three-length wire-to-wire win. He fulfilled his early promise with wins in the Gr. 3 Lecomte, Gr. 3 Risen Star Stakes, and Gr. 2 Louisiana Derby. In the mad scramble of the Gr. I Kentucky Derby, favored Friesan Fire came out of the race bleeding from his foot after a troubled trip, while Mine That Bird upset the field at 50-1 odds.

He sat out for seven months of his 3-year-old season and returned at four to win the Louisiana Handicap. Any son of A. P. Indy who earns almost $700,000 deserves an opportunity at stud. Friesan Fire earned his chance to become the next significant sire by A. P. Indy.

Support by the ownership of a stallion prospect is essential. Friesan Fire is owned in a syndicate comprised of Tom Simon's Vinery Stud, Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farm, and the Pons family's Country Life Farm. All three are experienced breeders, committed to giving Friesan Fire the best chance to succeed. All three are breeding some of their best mares. All three will be buyers at public auctions when Friesan Fire's foals reach the market. The ownership structure of Friesan Fire is an advantageous component of his career at stud.

Celebrating its tenth anniversary of ownership by Josh and Mike Pons, Merryland Farm is proud to once again stand a prominent stallion in Maryland. Back in the 1980s, the fine sire Rock Talk stood at Merryland. He sired Eclipse Award champion Heartlight No. One for musician Burt Bacharach, when legendary Maryland horsewoman Betty Miller managed the historic farm. Friesan Fire will stand in the same two-stall French-style stallion barn at Merryland, for a fee of $4,000 Stands and Nurses.

Merryland Farm has 100 stalls, 200 acres of pasture, and a five-eighths-mile track to go along with a handsome farm guest house for out-of-town clients. Come see Friesan Fire and this beautiful old farm.