A son of Giant’s Causeway moves to Pennsylvania! The handsome and talented Brody’s Cause, son of the late European champion and leading North American sire Giant’s Causeway, arrived at Equistar Training and Breeding Farm in Annville, PA where he will stand for the 2023 breeding season. The multiple grades 1 winner and Grade 1 producer previously stood at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky where he sired the grade 1 winner Kalypso from his first crop of foals.
Trained by Dale Romans and owned by the Iowa-based Albaugh Family Stable, Brody’s Cause broke his maiden at 2 running a mile in his first start on the dirt at Churchill Downs, and next time out, won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. In his last start as a 2-year-old, he was third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and was one of the early favorites for the 2016 Kentucky Derby. As a 3-year-old, Brody’s Cause won the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland and was a top contender in the Kentucky Derby. Known for his stamina and late runs, Brody’s Cause got caught in the middle of the pack in the Derby and finished seventh. He made the last start of his racing career in the Belmont Stakes and finished sixth. With earnings of over $1 million, he retired to stud at Spendthrift Farm where he stood until moving to Equistar in the fall of 2022.
Brody’s Cause, by the “Iron Horse” Giant’s Causeway out of a stakes-placed mare, Sweet Breanna, entered stud in 2017. His first foals arrived in 2018 and raced in 2020. His first crop included Kalypso, the winner of the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes and the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes, both at Santa Anita. Kalypso raced on the dirt at distances of 5 ½ furlongs to 1 ¼ mile, and she recently sold for $2.1 million to a Japanese buyer at the November Fasig-Tipton “Night of the Stars” sale in Lexington, KY. From 3 crops of horses of racing age, he ranks 16th on the third crop sire list with 103 runners and 49 winners and lifetime progeny earnings of over $4.5 million. Already, he ranks 4th on the PA Horse Breeders’ sire list for 2022.
The only son of Giant’s Causeway standing in PA, Brody’s Cause offers PA breeders the
opportunity to breed to the important Giant’s Causeway bloodline, known for its toughness and stamina, versatility, winning on dirt and turf, and ability to run classic distances. Also, Giant’s Causeway is a top broodmare sire and headed the North American 2018 broodmare sire list.
Acquired by Rodney and Sharon Eckenrode of Equistar Training and Breeding, Brody’s Cause stands for a $3,500 live foal for the 2023 season. The family-run farm, home of the legendary Smarty Jones, is located near Harrisburg, approximately fifteen minutes from Penn National Race Track and five minutes off interstate 81. Before moving to PA from Delaware, Eckenrode trained and showed Arabians, and he transitioned to thoroughbred lay-ups and breeding after moving close to Penn National. The farm, bought in 2004, includes a barn with 12×12 box stalls, pastures for turn out, an indoor arena with a round pen, and an equicizer for conditioning horses.
“This horse is all class. He has a great disposition. He’s a pleasure to be around and work with, and we look forward to a bright future with him,” commented Eckenrode. Brody’s Cause is a positive addition to PA’s stallion roster and a plus for the state’s lucrative breeding and racing program. A promising future awaits Brody’s Cause.
Cover Photo Credit to Kim Pratt
