There may still be scorch marks on the Saratoga turf from Cogburn’s virtuoso performance in this year’s Grade 1 Jaipur as he sizzled 5 1/2 furlongs in less than a minute for a North American record.
Despite a loss in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in his career finale, Cogburn will begin his stallion career as an extremely hot commodity whose bandwagon is becoming crowded with supporters.
Cogburn, by the rising star Not This Time, raced throughout his career for Bill and Corrine Heiligbrodt and Clark Brewster. He will stand at WinStar Farm for an advertised fee of $30,000.
WinStar president and CEO Elliott Walden has repeatedly called Cogburn “the fastest horse in the world.” Both the Heiligbrodts – who campaigned champion sprinter Mitole and bred several early runners by him to help make him 2023’s leading freshman sire – and Brewster intend to support the horse with mares.
“I wanted a farm to stand him that I could do business with and support him with my program,” Bill Heiligbrodt said. “Clark and I stayed in to help launch his stud career.”
When WinStar announced it had acquired Cogburn’s stallion rights, it also said that Lindy Farms, which has international affiliations, would be part of the partnership on the horse.
“We have had tremendous success with No Nay Never in Europe with Cogburn’s profile – fast on dirt and fast on turf,” said Frank Antonacci of Lindy Farms. “I thought it was a great opportunity.”
Cogburn got more international support when it was announced in October that WinStar struck a deal with Widden Stud for the stallion prospect to shuttle to Australia beginning with the 2025 Southern Hemisphere season.
“His physical attributes, his super speed, and the fact he loves the turf make him the perfect stallion to shuttle to Australia,” Widden’s Antony Thompson told ANZ Bloodstock News. “From my point of view that is what is so exciting about him and that is what captured our attention and had us so committed to getting him down here and seeing it work. . . . Australia is renowned for elite speed on turf, and Cogburn’s stats are undeniably up there with the very best of our sprinters. In recent times we have been offered and considered many shuttle opportunities, but never actively pursued them until Cogburn. He’s a horse we chased, a physical powerhouse who I believe will make a meaningful impact on Australian racing.”
Another farm jumped on the bandwagon in late October, as a stallion share in Cogburn was offered at the inaugural Keeneland Championship sale at Del Mar the week of the Breeders’ Cup. Prominent breeders Richard and Connie Snyder, whose Cove Springs Farm is responsible for Grade 1 winner Randomized this season, acquired the share for $475,000.
“He’s the fastest horse in America,” Richard Snyder said. “I think it pencils out good. . . . We’ve got several mares that will work real well with him for us and our clients, and we’re pretty excited. Love the horse – just love him.”
Cogburn did plenty to love over a four-season racing career for trainer Steve Asmussen, during which he won nine times and finished second twice from 16 starts, earning $2,422,630. He was a modest success early on, winning several times on dirt at the allowance level. He also was a Grade 3-placed dirt sprinter at age 3.
In 2023, at age 4, he moved to turf sprints and won three stakes, highlighted by the Grade 3 Troy at Saratoga over Nobals and Caravel, who won the 2023 and 2022 editions of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
In 2024, at age 5, Cogburn was untouchable in his first three starts of the season, winning all by open lengths. He started off by winning the Grade 2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint by 2 1/4 lengths at Churchill Downs, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 107. He then turned in his highlight performance, rolling by 3 1/2 lengths in the Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes at Saratoga. His time of 59.80 seconds for the 5 1/2 furlongs smashed the previous North American mark of 1:00.21. The performance earned him a Beyer of 114, the highest turf figure of the year through Dec. 1.
After an unplanned three-month break when wet weather in Saratoga forced a planned start in the Troy off the turf, Cogburn scored another handy 3 1/4-length win in the Grade 2 Turf Sprint on Sept. 7 at Kentucky Downs, earning a 107 Beyer. In the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar, Cogburn was hustled early, reeling off opening splits of 21.59 for the quarter and 43.72 for the half. He was reined in late and finished fifth, beaten 1 1/4 lengths.
Cogburn is one of three newcomers for WinStar in 2025. Grade 1 winner Timberlake, by Into Mischief, will stand for $20,000, and maiden winner Heartland, by Justify, will stand for $10,000.
Cogburn is a son of Not This Time, whose 2025 fee is $175,000 at Taylor Made Farm. The versatile stallion has emerged as the North American heir to his sire, Giant’s Causeway.
Not This Time has sired high-level runners at a number of distances and surfaces. His two champions thus far are classic-placed Grade 1-winning dirt router Epicenter, the Eclipse champion 3-year-old male of 2022, and 2022 champion turf male Up to the Mark, a two-turn specialist. While Cogburn was one of Not This Time’s top runners this season, showing dazzling speed on turf, the stallion also made headlines with dirt marathon specialist Next.
Also boding well for Cogburn, a horse with a similar racing and sireline profile, Golden Pal, was extremely popular in his first year at stud. Golden Pal, a two-time-winning turf sprinter at the Breeders’ Cup, covered 293 mares in his first season at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in 2023, the most in the country, according to The Jockey Club’s Report of Mares Bred. Golden Pal is by Uncle Mo, who, in addition to his standout turf sprinter, is a versatile sire represented by classic winners Nyquist and Mo Donegal.