Bucanero Fuerte , who was outstanding as a 2-year-old when a dominant winner of the 2023 Phoenix Stakes (G1) for Amo Racing, has been retired to stand at Tally-Ho Stud.
His sire Wootton Bassett is well regarded as a source of elite juvenile talent and Bucanero Fuerte fit that mold as one of the top juveniles of his generation. He retires with a career-high rating of 120; no other 2-year-old group 1-winning son of Wootton Bassett can boast higher.
Precocious as well as top-class for Adrian Murray, Bucanero Fuerte made a winning debut on the first day of the Irish flat season in March 2023, when justifying favoritism to land a competitive five-furlong maiden race by nearly three lengths.
He went on to run third, beaten only a length, on his next start in the Coventry Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot, before making the group-race breakthrough in the Railway Stakes (G2) at the Curragh, where he showed great battling qualities to deny Unquestionable , subsequent winner of the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T).
It was his performance in the Phoenix, when powering clear to win by four lengths, that marked Bucanero Fuerte as a 2-year-old out of the top drawer: “Bossed the race from start to finish and it was pretty much deal done by the two-furlong pole,” commented the Racing Post.
It appears particularly strong form now given the second that day, Porta Fortuna , has since won four group 1 races.
Bucanero Fuerte looked set for a big season this year at 3 when returning to win the Lacken Stakes (G3) at Naas, in which he broke the track record, but he was compromised by sickness ahead of Royal Ascot, which affected his season thereafter.
“Bucanero Fuerte is a hugely important horse for Amo Racing,” said the operation’s Kia Joorabchian. “His group 1 win in 2023, when he dominated last year’s Phoenix Stakes, was a truly outstanding moment for us all.
“We are proud to retire him alongside King of Steel at one of Europe’s premier nurseries.
“As a top-class 2-year-old who showed he had trained on superbly when breaking the track record at Naas on his comeback in May, we feel he has the requisite blend of qualities to excel in his new career.
“Significantly, he is the first group 1-winning juvenile by his sire to retire to stud in Ireland and we are committed to supporting him fully on all fronts over the coming years.”
Roger O’Callaghan of Tally-Ho Stud said: “Bucanero Fuerte possessed huge class, pace and durability. Few 2-year-olds are able to win on the first day of the season and then go on to group 1 success; Bucanero Fuerte was an easy winner on both occasions, especially when scoring so emphatically over a top-class field in the Phoenix Stakes.
“We are delighted to be standing such a talented 2-year-old and look forward to working with Amo Racing in supporting him strongly at stud.”
A stud fee for Bucanero Fuerte will be announced at a later date.
