Leadem Farm Adds American Freedom to New Arkansas Farm
American Freedom is a top 10 second-crop sire.
- By Eric Mitchell - Bloodhorse
Top 10 second-crop sire American Freedom has been purchased by Bob and Tyree Wolesensky's Leadem Farm for a new stallion operation they are establishing near Leola, Ark., about 50 miles southeast of Oaklawn Park.
The 9-year-old son of Pulpit, who placed twice in grade 1 company and won the Iowa Derby (G3), will stand for $3,500.
"We started our farm in Texas three years ago and we ran out of space at that farm, so we started looking for bigger properties," said Bob Wolesensky, a lawyer by profession. "We found the perfect piece of property in Arkansas and are moving the whole operation there, where we were going to have a satellite facility anyway. Once we knew were going to do that, we knew we wanted another stallion and wanted one that really fit Arkansas."
Leadem Farm already stands established sires Cinco Charlie and Aikenite . Grade 3 winner Dennis' Moment , a son of Tiznow, has been retired and will enter stud at the farm next year at $2,500. Cinco Charlie will stand for $3,000, while Aikenite will stand for $1,500.
The Wolesenskys worked with Brock Martin and Steve Castagnola of Taylor Made Sales Agency to identify other stallion prospects and kept coming back to American Freedom.
"We wanted the Pulpit/A.P. Indy sire line, he's a multiple grade 1 performer, and his foals can run anywhere," he said. "We have seven broodmares and one of our first questions as a regional breeder is: Is this a stallion we could get excited about? The answer is absolutely."
Wolesensky also said he also likes American Freedom's family. The stallion is out of the Pleasant Tap stakes winner Gottcha Last , making him a half brother to grade 1-placed, three-time graded stakes winner Gottcha Gold .
As a stallion, American Freedom has sired 61 winners, including stakes winner Freedom Speaks and stakes-placed winners Heffner , American Sanctuary , and Smarten Up . His progeny have banked more than $3.4 million, so far. American Freedom launched his stud career at Airdrie Farm.
American Freedom will be shipped Arkansas during the first week in December when the Wolesenskys will be relocating all their horses to the new 100-acre farm they bought last summer. The property was attractive in part because it was formerly an organic grass-fed cattle operation with high-quality grass.
The Wolesenskys also had already been eyeing Arkansas because of the state-bred program's benefits.
"We have been looking at Arkansas for several years because of the state-bred program. You get breeders awards even when you are running outside the state. Oaklawn Park only runs five months but you can run for breeders' money year-round," Wolesensky said.