In 2000, Encosta De Lago was entering his fourth season at stud at Victoria’s Blue Gum Farm and the progeny from his first crops indicated that he was on track to becoming a future star on the Australian Stallion roster. At the same time, Queensland breeder Sir Bob Sinclair was considering sire options for his multiple winning RANCHER mare Ranch Lady, producer of the TRC Derby winner VENTURA. On paper, the mating with Encosta de Lago looked very promising and not surprisingly the resulting colt was a natural inclusion in the 2003 Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale. Come sale time, Hall of Fame trainer Lee Freedman marked the colt as a must buy and the bidding indicated he was certainly not alone in his assessment. When the hammer finally fell, Freedman had purchased the top priced Encosta colt at the sale. The colt’s name had already been decided and KING DE LAGO was indeed fitting for this outstanding son of Encosta de Lago. He possessed all the hallmarks of a future champion – a powerful, well conformed, well muscled athletic colt with a pedigree littered with black type speedsters.

Soon after his arrival at Freedman’s newly established training complex, he was joined by another Encosta yearling that was on Lee Freedman’s must buy list. This time a striking filly from the Inglis Melbourne Premier sale. The Freedman/Slade Bloodstock team was understandably upbeat and looking forward to the rich 2yo Classics with a double-barreled Encosta attack. Tragically, a paddock injury ended King de Lago’s racing career before it began, but as fate would have it, the other Encosta yearling was none other than the mighty ALINGHI who went on to Group 1 glory and became the 2005 3YO Filly of the year.

In the short time available to assess King de Lago’s ability, the Freedman stable were equally impressed and had no hesitation in declaring him a genuine stallion prospect and prompted the following statement from the Hall of Fame trainer Lee Freedman.

“We bought King de Lago as a yearling at the Magic Millions and we

considered him to be the best yearling at the sale. His injury was a huge disappointment to us as we had great plans for him.

Perhaps his potential will now be reached in the breeding barn and

I would have no hesitation in supporting him.”

With 30 of the 66 Group 1 winners in 2005 sired at fees under $10,000 he has every chance of following in the footsteps of his now famous father. And on his un-raced status:

The fact that King De Lago was un-raced due to injury should be of no concern when you consider his grandsire Fairy King, sire of Encosta de Lago, never laid a hoof on a racetrack yet produced 71 stakes winners.

It’s all in the genes....