by Mike Curry

Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Pyro will stand at Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Darley in Lexington at the conclusion of his racing career.

Pyro will continue to race for owner-breeder Winchell Thoroughbreds through the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. After the Breeders’ Cup, Sheikh Mohammed will decide whether Pyro will remain in training or be retired to stud, said Jimmy Bell, president of Darley America.

Pyro closed last season with consecutive runner-up finishes to eventual champion two-year-old male War Pass in the Champagne Stakes (G1) and Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). He began his three-year-old campaign on February 9 at Fair Grounds with an eye-catching last-to-first rally in the stretch to win the Risen Star Stakes (G3).

The dark bay or brown Pulpit colt cemented his status as a leading contender for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) with a three-length score in the Louisiana Derby (G2) on Saturday.

“His turn of foot in the Risen Star was just so visually impressive,” said Dan Pride, chief operating officer of Darley America. “Add to that his assertive victory in the Louisiana Derby, and we feel extremely excited and privileged to have him coming to Darley. He has all the ingredients to be a superstar on the racetrack and at stud.”

Pyro demonstrated an explosive turn of foot in both the Risen Star and Louisiana Derby. He streaked past ten challengers in the stretch to win the Risen Star. In the Louisiana Derby, Pyro split foes near the eighth pole and accelerated clear.

"To have our homebred Pyro retiring to Darley is extremely exciting,” said owner Ron Winchell, who operates Winchell Thoroughbreds along with his mother, Joan Winchell. “Although we're certainly a bit prejudiced about him, I really do think that the success he has shown on the track will follow him to the stallion barn."

Pyro is out of the winning Wild Again mare Wild Vision, a full sister to Grade 2 winner and sire Wild Wonder. From the immediate family of Grade 1 winner and sire Olympio, Pyro has three wins, two seconds, and one third in six starts and $1,056,718 in purse earnings.

This year Darley welcomed three competitors from last year’s Triple Crown to its roster: Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense; Grade 1 winner Hard Spun, runner-up in the Derby; and Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) winner Any Given Saturday. Darley also stands homebred champion Bernardini, winner of the 2006 Preakness Stakes (G1).

Mike Curry is Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor