LOPE De Vega is among the world’s leading sires and we can expect that his profile will continue to strengthen and grow for many years to come.

He retired to Ballylinch Stud in 2011, and the days of being able to breed to him for €15,000 are long gone. Now at €125,000, this is his second season for a six-figure fee.

He won two from three as a juvenile, losing his unbeaten record when fourth to Siyouni in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, but he has had many who have excelled at that age. Last year Lucky Vega was an impressive winner of the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes, Cadillac a Group 2 scorer, and undefeated Aunt Pearl easily won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Fillies Turf at Keeneland.

Lope De Vega beat Dick Turpin in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains-French 2000 Guineas and trounced Planteur by three lengths to add the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club- French Derby – a classic double that his sire, Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway), also completed.

In 2019, Lope De Vega became a classic sire too. Phoenix Of Spain, who beat Too Darn Hot by three lengths in the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas, is now a popular sire and covered 148 mares in his maiden season at the Irish National Stud.

Triple Group 2-winner Endless Drama had been runner-up to Gleneagles in the 2015 edition of that classic.

Lope De Vega is out of the Group 1-placed Group 3 Prix du Calvados winner Lady Vettori (Vettori), is a half-brother to the Group 1-placed pattern winner Lady Frankel (Frankel) and also to Bal De La Rose (Cadeaux Genereux), the pattern-winning dam of Group 1 scorer Danceteria (Redoute’s Choice). He is also a full-brother to the capable sprinter Lord Of The Land.

With his pedigree and race record, it is hardly a surprise that he gets his top winners over a wide range: sprinters, milers and middle-distance horses. Santa Ana Lane and Gytrash are among the best sprinters in the world on their day, while The Right Man did well in Europe and also landed the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan.

Angel Power, Manuela De Vega and Jemayel are among his middle-distance runners, whereas Belardo was both a juvenile champion and Group 1 Lockinge Stakes star before going to stud.

Indeed, Belardo is his sire’s first son with runners, and thanks to three pattern winners for that freshman in 2020 – Elysium, Isabella Giles and Lullaby Moon – Lope De Vega has taken the first steps towards ensuring his long-term legacy.

LOPE DE VEGA (IRE), Chesnut 2007. Top rated 3yr old in France in 2010 (9.5-10.5f.). Won four races, £1,055,611, from 7 furlongs to 1 mile 2½ furlongs, at 2 and 3 years including, Poule d’Essai des Poulains, Longchamp, Gr.1, Prix du Jockey Club, Chantilly, Gr.1, also placed third in Prix de Fontainebleau, Longchamp, Gr.3.

Retired to Stud in 2011, and sire of the winners of over 1570 races, and £35,260,305, including AUNT PEARL (IRE), GYTRASH (AUS), LUCKY VEGA (IRE), NEWSPAPEROFRECORD (IRE), PHOENIX OF SPAIN (IRE), SANTA ANA LANE (AUS), ZABEEL PRINCE (IRE), CAPLA TEMPTRESS (IRE), THE RIGHT MAN (GB), VEGA MAGIC (AUS), BELARDO (IRE), JEMAYEL (IRE), ANGEL POWER (GB), CADILLAC (IRE), KALIFORNIA QUEEN (GER), MANUELA DE VEGA (IRE), DUKE OF HAZZARD (FR), ENDLESS DRAMA (IRE), SPANISH WHISPER (AUS), SPANISH REEF (AUS), VERY SPECIAL (IRE), FRENCH FERN (AUS), HERO LOOK (IRE), ANTONIA DE VEGA (IRE), LA BARROSA (IRE), VEGADAZE (AUS), ARCHEDEMUS (AUS), ECRIVAIN (FR), FELICIANA DE VEGA (GB), FOUR WHITE SOCKS (GB), LOPE Y FERNANDEZ (IRE), MAX VEGA (IRE), DIVINE UNICORN (GB), CANDY STORE (IRE), SOUSTRACTION (IRE), STEEL OF MADRID (IRE), NAVARRA KING (IRE), SOUTH SEAS (IRE), BLUE DE VEGA (GER), RIDE LIKE THE WIND (IRE), BURNT SUGAR (IRE), ROYAL RAZALMA (IRE)

Stands at: Ballylinch Stud, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, R95 DK51, Ireland.

Contact: John O’Connor, Adrian Sherry, Eoin Fives

Telephone: +353 (0)56 7724217

Email: info@ballylinchstud.ie

Web: www.ballylinchstud.ie

Fee: €125,000