The former home of America’s first Triple Crown winner also claimed the first foal on the ground by the most-recent horse to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes.
Audley Farm, located in Berryville, Va., on Saturday published photos of a Justify filly out of the Exchange Rate mare Foreign Affair.
In a sign that the champ may end up marking his progeny, the filly also has a white blaze. With his own distinct markings, Justify went from a February debut to a Triple Crown in a matter of 111 days, then retired to stand at stud at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
Audley Farm once stood the 1919 Triple Crown winner Sir Barton and, according to its website “has set about building a top class broodmare band whose aim is to provide well bred, natural, sound, long lasting, quality thoroughbreds for the world market.”
Among Audley Farm's more recent success stories is Bodemeister, who was bred there, sold for US$260,000 as a yearling and developed into a key player along the 2012 Triple Crown trail. Bodemeister, who sired 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming, was sold to stand in Turkey this season.
McDiarmid said "we have options, obviously," with the new foal. Given she's a female, the farm could race and eventually breed her, or develop her into a sales prospect.
"She's about a week early, but everything seems to be absolutely fine," he said. "She will look fantastic in two weeks' time."