Upstart Fee Raised to $40,000 to Lead Airdrie Stud's 2027 Roster

The sire of Percy's Bar and Manuka Honey will see a 60 percent increase in his stud fee. The Kentucky operation is also backing Kentucky Derby winners Mage and Mystik Dan, while adding the promising Colloquial to its lineup

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (Special for Turf Diario).— Upstart has emerged as the premier star of Airdrie Stud's 2027 stallion roster. The Kentucky operation announced that his stud fee will rise from $25,000 to $40,000, driven by the outstanding track results of his progeny and a 2-year-old crop that continues to offer highly encouraging signs.

The son of Flatter counts among his 2026 flagbearers Percy's Bar, heroine of the Ashland Stakes (G1), and Manuka Honey, an undefeated contender for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Keeneland.

Furthermore, he ranks second among active U.S. stallions by number of 2-year-old winners and stands among the top ten on the general juvenile sire list.

His upward trajectory is particularly intriguing because the generation currently racing as 2-year-olds stems from the best book of mares he had received up to that point. With the quality of his books steadily escalating, expectations for the coming years remain high.

Two Kentucky Derby Winners

Airdrie will also showcase two Kentucky Derby (G1) victors: Mage and Mystik Dan.

Mage, a son of Good Magic out of the outstanding producer Puca (Big Brown), will maintain his fee at $15,000. His first crop will begin racing in 2027, following a yearling sales season in which 25 of his offerings fetched six-figure prices.

The 2023 Kentucky Derby winner bred 171 mares during his maiden season at stud.

Mystik Dan, by Goldencents, who captured the 2024 renewal, will stand for $12,500. A winner of over $4.8 million,he will welcome his first foals during 2027, following a race career marked by top-level performances at ages 2, 3, and 4.

Another prominent name is Complexity (Maclean's Music), who will remain at $15,000. Among second-crop stallions, only Vekoma (Candy Ride) outranks him in percentage of stakes winners from foals. His yearlings averaged $75,350 at Keeneland during 2026.

Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile), meanwhile, will hold his fee at $10,000, backed by a track record of remarkable consistency and progeny like My Boy Prince, a winner of $1.6 million.

A Bet on Sons of Vekoma

A distinct feature of the roster is the presence of the first two sons of Vekoma entering stud: Colloquial and Jonathan's Way, both set at $7,500.

Colloquial will debut as a stallion in 2027 following a racing career cut short by injury. In just three starts he displayed exceptional talent, including a 7-length victory that earned a 106 Beyer Speed Figure and a win in the Lafayette Stakes(L) at Keeneland.

Jonathan's Way, whose career was curtailed by a serious illness, captured the Iroquois Stakes (G3) at age 2, defeating future G1 winners Magnitude (Not This Time) and Sandman (Tapit).

Also continuing at $7,500 is Beau Liam (Liam's Map), whose son Crude Velocity defeated Englishman (Maxfield) by 3 3/4 lengths in the Pat Day Mile Stakes (G2), stopping the clock in 1:33.87.

Among stallions with their first runners on the track, Highly Motivated (Into Mischief) holds at $7,500, while Happy Saver (Super Saver) will stand for $5,000. The latter has already produced Piggybunz, an undefeated stakes winner.

Completing the lineup is multiple G1 winner Divisidero (Kitten's Joy), available at a fee of $3,500.

With Upstart on a steep upward trajectory, two Kentucky Derby winners, and several promising young stallions making their mark, Airdrie Stud aims to solidify its position in an increasingly competitive market, offering options across every price tier.