The stud fee for Deputy Minister, the nation's leading sire in 1997 and '98, will stay at $150,000 for the 2002 breeding season while the fee for his son, Silver Deputy has been reduced to $40,000 for next year from $75,000. Both stallions stand at Fred Seitz's Brookdale Farm near Versailles, Kentucky.

Deputy Minister's fee has been $150,000 since 1999 and syndicate manager Ric Waldman noted the 22-year-old son of Vice Regent has remained popular at that price.

"He has a solid following so there is no reason to risk losing that following," Waldman said on Wednesday. "And there's no reason to go down on the price for the same reason."

From 15 crops of racing age, Deputy Minister has sired 69 stakes winners including 36 graded stakes winners. His offspring include North American champions Open Mind, Go for Wand, and Dehere. His progeny have earned $58,530,538.

Waldman said Deputy Minister was bred to 84 mares in 2001.

Silver Deputy's fee was dropped because his progeny "have been quiet lately," Waldman said, noting that those horses were conceived when Silver Deputy stood for $10,000 (in 1996 and '97) and for $15,000 (in 1998) while horses from "his first significant book of mares" are yearlings this year.

"He had two good years at $75,000 (in 2000 and '01) and we have great hopes for what is to come in those next two crops," Waldman said.

With ten crops of racing age, Silver Deputy is represented by 40 stakes winners including seven in the graded stakes ranks. His leading earner with $3,093,207 is two-time Eclipse Award winner Silverbulletday. Overall, the 16-year-old stallion has $30,704,069 in progeny earnings.—Liane Crossley