Denmark’s Derby and Breeders’ Cup winner Slava Ukraini will embark on a new career as a stallion at Stald Nørager in North Jutland in 2027. There he will be stabled side by side with fellow Thoroughbred stallions Efesos and Giant Sandman at a stud that is home to more than 50 broodmares.
”Slava Ukraini will be used as a stallion for both Thoroughbreds and warmbloods. We love Thoroughbred stallions, and we need three stable, good gaits and a sound, strong horse. Slava Ukraini ticks all of those boxes, and he is big and handsome as well – he can easily cover both breeding branches”, Stald Nørager’s Mark Ovesen tells GalopSport.
Slava Ukraini (Moohaajim) showed his enormous talent already as a two-year-old, when he won both Dansk Galops Auktionsløb and Basnæsløb as part of Niels Petersen’s satellite yard at Klampenborg.
Then, of course, came victory in the 2023 edition of the Danish Derby at Klampenborg, along with Jockeyklubbens 2000 Guineas at Bro Park and the Skandinavisk Mesterskap for three-year-olds at Øvrevoll.
Between his two- and three-year-old campaigns, Slava Ukraini wintered in Dubai, where he was placed twice from three starts, before returning home to win five races in a row in Scandinavia.
Between his three- and four-year-old campaigns he first went through a training spell at Chantilly, followed by a trip to Saudi Arabia, where he finished ninth in the Saudi International Handicap.
Two months later he made his seasonal debut in the Danish Jockey Club Cup (L) at Klampenborg, filling second behind Good Fortune (Appel Au Maitre), before going on to two more Breeders’ triumphs in the Dansk Breeders’ Cup and the Breeders’ Trophy Mile.
Stald Nørager is already home to two former Scandinavian stars, the Goldene Peitsche (Gr.2) winner Giant Sandman (Footstepsinthesand) and the Scandinavian Open Championship (Gr.3) winner Efesos (Royal Experiment).
”Efesos was bought with a direct focus on warmblood breeding, but Mette Fruergård, from whom we bought him, persuaded us to try him with Thoroughbred mares as well. This year he has covered two of our own mares, So Surreal and Half Heaven”, says Mark Ovesen, continuing:
”Incidentally, Mette has been fantastic at helping and guiding us, and she replies straight away if we have the slightest question”.
”I come from a background in dressage and showjumping, and if everyone received that kind of help when arriving as a newcomer to a breeding association, everything would be much easier”.
Giant Sandman, who previously enjoyed fine success at stud at Stutteri Hjortebo and is the sire of, among others, the 2000 Guineas and Breeders’ winner No Surrender, has also covered both warmblood and Thoroughbred mares this year.
”Giant Sandman covered Dutch Diamond and Never Stop Dreaming, plus a number of our own warmblood mares. We have 55 mares here, split between Thoroughbreds and warmbloods, and the first Thoroughbred foals will arrive in 2027”, Mark Ovesen continues.
Slava Ukraini has already been approved as a stallion with The Anglo European Studbook, and in 2027 he will be available to both Thoroughbred and warmblood breeders at Stald Nørager.
