From Ballena Vista Farm
RAMONA, Calif. (Apr. 21, 2014) — Ballena Vista Farm announced today that Benchmark has been retired from the breeding shed.
Initially the farm thought he was physically and reproductively capable of another season and bred a handful of mares to him the first two months of the 2014 season. Benchmark failed to impregnate them and will now be pensioned alongside fellow retiree Beau Genius.
Throughout his stud career Benchmark has been a stalwart of the California breeding industry. He had nine consecutive years of over $2.3 million in progeny earnings and has total progeny earnings of $30.1 million. His 41 stakes winners and 10 graded winners from 742 foals of racing age, include Grade I winners Brother Derek, Idiot Proof, Silent Signs and Eclipse Award champion Points Offthebench who was honored as the 2013 Male Sprinter of the year.
Benchmark, as a racehorse was a multiple Grade 2 winner of $636,707, and as a sire, he is the leading son of Alydar by progeny earnings.