Heatseeker to stand at Hill ‘n’ Dale

Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner Heatseeker (Ire) will stand at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms in Lexington beginning in 2009.

Hill ‘n’ Dale has purchased a significant interest in the five-year-old Giant’s Causeway horse out of Rusty Back, by Defensive Play. He will stand for $20,000.

Heatseeker scored by three-quarters of a length in the Big Cap for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. He also won the Californian Stakes (G2) by 5 1/4 lengths on May 31 at Hollywood Park in what ended up being his final race.

“Heatseeker was a racehorse of great versatility and always ran in elite company,” said John G. Sikura, president of Hill 'n' Dale. “He had a ton of speed and could carry this speed over any distance of ground. He is a robust, clean-legged horse with great power and balance from a pedigree that boasts 35 stakes horses and quite a few champions in the first three dams. We think he is a tremendous stallion prospect who should have enormous international appeal.”

A Group 1-placed winner as a two-year-old in Ireland for owner-breeder Richard Barnes, Heatseeker won seven of 17 career starts and earned $1,177,776. He set four track records over synthetic surfaces in Southern California, completing seven furlongs in 1:20.90 and 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.06 at Hollywood and 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.23 and 1 1/4 miles in 2:00.42 at Santa Anita.