Sikura Says Arabian Knight the Most Popular New Sire in Hill 'n' Dale History

01/06/2025 11:07 AM

Three years ago, John Sikura was blown away by how breeders responded to Hill 'n' Dale's new sire Charlatan, a multiple Grade I-winning son of Speightstown who bred 222 mares in his debut season. Sikura didn't expected to see demand quite like that again anytime soon, but he admits that he has been proven wrong since another Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' recently arrived at Hill 'n' Dale. Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo-Borealis Night, by Astrology), winner of the 2023 GI Pacific Classic Stakes, will stand for $30,000 in his debut season and according to Sikura, has been swamped with requests since the day he arrived.

“I thought Charlatan would set the standard for Hill 'n' Dale as far as initial popularity, an extremely popular horse, but the interest in Arabian Knight has even exceeded that in his first year, which I didn't foresee coming,” Sikura admitted. “He's been sold out well before the breeding season starts and we'll try to hand select maybe a few more mares that we'll have to have, but he's probably the most popular horse that we've ever had come to stud.”

What has sent breeders running to see this Hill 'n' Dale newcomer? Sikura said that Arabian Knight has always had the right look, dating back to when he sold for $2.3 million as a 2-year-old to Zedan Racing. The following year, after the colt had put in a dazzling 7 1/4-length debut win at Keeneland and another victory in the GIII Southwest Stakes, Sikura dropped in to Bob Baffert's barn to get a good look at the promising son of Uncle Mo.

“Bob said, 'I'm going to show you the perfect horse,'” Sikura recalled. “He pulled the horse out and sort of went head to toe explaining, 'Look at his angles. Look at his shoulder. Look at his bone. Look at his presence.' He said, 'If you can get a template of this horse in your mind, that's the best kind of horse you can ever buy.'”

After a six-month layoff and a third-place performance in the GI Haskell Stakes, Arabian Knight earned his signature Grade I victory at Del Mar, where he became the first 3-year-old since Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}) in 2014 to beat elders in the Pacific Classic.

“Winning the Pacific Classic, beating older horses, is a hard thing to achieve,” noted Sikura. “I really think the horse probably was not a true mile and a quarter horse. As a miler, I think he had the ability to beat any horse. So to continue on and show that bravery and repel all comers going a mile and a quarter, I think that was a real testament to not only his ability, but his will and his grit and his determination to get to the line first.”

While injuries plagued his next two starts, the brilliance Arabian Knight showed in his three career victories combined with the opportunity to access sought-after bloodlines has assembled an appealing package for breeders.

Arabian Knight will begin his stud career on the heels of the sudden and tragic loss of his sire Uncle Mo, who was already defining himself as a sire of sires before his passing this past December. While his son Nyquist saw his stud fee jump from $85,000 to $175,000 in 2025 after producing four Grade I winners last year, Caracaro had three stakes horses from his first crop of 2-year-olds in 2024 and Yaupon and Modernist will both have their first crops enter the starting gate this year. Along with Arabian Knight, young sires Golden Pal, Mo Donegal and Kingsbarns round out the latest sons of Uncle Mo to begin their stud careers in Kentucky.

“Tragically, we lost [Uncle Mo] too soon, but I believe his influence will be perpetuated through his sons,” said Sikura. “He was such a great breed-shaping stallion both in the sales ring and on the racetrack. It's an honor to stand a Grade I-winning son of Uncle Mo with all the attributes he has here. We hope Arabian Knight is one of the chosen few to carry on this great legacy of Uncle Mo.”

“We're supporting the horse and our loyal shareholders that have been with us and other stallions are in as well,” he continued.

“Stonestreet is participating, which is a great thing. To see so many breeders say, 'Wow, I just need to breed that horse,' that was a great source of reassurance because while you always have hope and expectation that your horse will be popular, there's always a reason someone can critique your horse. But in his case, it's been really overwhelming, almost unanimous support for him, which is great for the horse and great for the farm.”

The post Sikura Says Arabian Knight the Most Popular New Sire in Hill ‘n’ Dale History appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.