Drefong has been crowned Japan’s champion freshman sire of 2021, which includes statistics from regional racing conducted by the National Association of Racing. Drefong won six of nine starts, including the Ketel One Kings Bishop Stakes (G1) and TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) in 2016, when he was crowned the U.S. champion sprinter, and the Forego Stakes (G1) in 2017 for owner Baoma Corporation and trainer Bob Baffert. He began stud duty in 2018 at Shadai Stallion Station at a fee of ¥3 million. He covered 209 mares during his first season, which resulted in 129 live foals the following spring.
From Drefong’s 92 juveniles to start in 2021, 31 of them won 33 races and earned ¥367,870,000 (US$3,183,367). Progeny by Drefong collected 16 wins in races at 1,600 meters (about a mile) and longer, and 10 wins in turf races. Drefong will stand for an increased advertised fee of ¥7 million for the 2022 season.