Kentuckiana Farms will serve as Stallion Manager and, along with Dr. Rich Meirs, will manage his breeding career. ART OFFICIAL retires to stud duty after a spectacular racing career as the fastest and richest son of the highly successful sire Art Major.

"We are very excited about this opportunity to work with Joe Muscara and his family to bring Art Official to Pennsylvania. We are confident that Art Official will carry his athletic ability into his new career at stud. Not only did Art Official possess the extreme tactical speed inherent in most successful stallions, he provides a great opportunity for breeders in the lucrative Pennsylvania program.

"He is the perfect outcross stallion for the many Western Hanover mares and Western Hanover-line mares and is a great value relative to his competition. Art Official is a perfect fit for the market", says Bob Brady, owner and General Manager of Kentuckiana Farms.

ART OFFICIAL retires to stud having earned his World-Champion status on both a ½mile and mile track and has career earnings of $2,082,085. Along with the greats Somebeachsomewhere and Lis Mara, ART OFFICIAL is one of only 3 horses in history to pace two winning miles in better that 1:48.0 (1:47.0 at 3 and 1:47.4 at 4).

ART OFFICIAL recorded these records while defeating two of the greatest horses of all time in Somebeachsomewhere ($4,143,492) and Mister Big ($4,008,257). ART OFFICIAL also defeated the ranks of Won The West ($2,118,936), Shark Gesture ($1,899,146), Santanna Blue Chip ($1,622,636), Badlands Nitro ($1,554,638) and Bettor Sweet ($1,011,436) during his career.

Throughout his career, ART OFFICIAL paced 15 miles in under 1:50.0 and had 18 career wins at an average time of 1:50.4 - winning 6 in sub 1:50.0. Not only did ART OFFICIAL demonstrate extreme speed, he was incredibly versatile having established personal records on a mile track of 1:47.0 (World Record), 5/8s track of 1:49.2 and ½ mile track of 1:50.4 (World Record).

At 2, ART OFFICIAL recorded 8 sub 1:53.0 miles, was stakes placed in 7 of his starts and earned $104,363. At 3, ART OFFICIAL had 13 wins, 4 seconds and 1 third in 20 starts and earned $1,502,395. Most notably, in what is regarded by many as one of the greatest races of all time, ART OFFICIAL handed Somebeachsomewhere his only career defeat in the $1,100,000 Meadowlands Pace in a world-record 1:47.0.

Also at 3, ART OFFICIAL won The Bluegrass in 1:48.3, The Tattersalls in 1:48.3, the Cane Pace elimination and Final (1/2 mile world record), Hoosier Cup, Little Brown Jug elimination (third in Final), and Monument Circle among others.

At 4, ART OFFICIAL finished in the money in 13 of his 19 starts, established a mark of 1:47.4M and earned $476,157 to bring his career earnings to over the $2M mark. In pacing the then fastest mark of 2009, ART OFFICIAL defeated Shark Gesture, Mister Big, Won The West and Bettor Sweet in the Breeders Crown Open Prep.

ART OFFICIAL also shocked the racing world in winning the Indiana Pacing Derby while pacing his last quarter in an amazing :25.3. Driver Ron Pierce said it best about ART OFFICIAL:

"I don't know if I have ever driven a horse with more wicked speed than Art Official. He has the ability to leave the gate faster (:25.2) than any horse that I have sat behind and still have enough in the tank to pace home in an amazing :25.3. His world-record performance in the Meadowlands Pace to give Somebeachwomewhere his only career defeat may be the greatest race ever and one that will always be remembered. It has been an honor to drive such a great athlete."

ART OFFICIAL hails from the 100% producing Falcon Seelster mare Naughty Shady Lady. The royal breeding of ART OFFICIAL is full of champions including the great Aged Pacing Mare of the Year Shady Daisy ($1,807,755) and Shady Character ($1,225,905).

ART OFFICIAL is owned by Joseph Muscara, one of harness racings' leading international racing owners. Mr. Muscara also owns the extremely successful sire Mach Three (sire of the great Somebeachsomewhere and Australasian star Auckland Reactor) and newly-retired stallion for 2010 Mister Big - Aged Pacer of the Year in 2007 and 2008 ($4,087,257).

The 2010 service fee for ART OFFICIAL will be $7,000.

Ken JACKSON