Best Friends: A.P. Indy and Asa Haley

One of the most influential sires in history; a winner of nearly $3M on the racetrack; a Breeders’ Cup Classic winner; a Belmont Stakes winner; THE 1992 Horse of the Year; And currently the oldest living Classic winner overall, A.P. Indy was foaled on March 31, 1989. Sired by 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew and out of Weekend Surprise (by Secretariat), the dark bay would grow to leave his mark on the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing.

In October 1991, A.P. Indy broke his maiden second time out by 4 lengths at Santa Anita Park and went on to capture his first Graded Stakes less than two months later, holding off Dance Floor by a neck in the Gr.1 Hollywood Futurity. He added wins in the Gr.2 San Rafael, Gr.1 Santa Anita Derby and Gr.1 Peter Pan before wowing in the 1992 Belmont Stakes, recording the second fastest time (tied with Easy Goer) in the race’s history, behind his broodmare sire Secretariat. A.P. Indy won by 3/4’s of a length that day, beating British-bred My Memoirs and stopping the clock at 2:26.13.

His following race resulted in a not so great fifth place finish at Woodbine in early September, but it didn’t take long for the bay to find his stride. He was back to winning just one month later in the Gr.1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, and 21 days later, galloped to a 2 length victory in the Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Classic, running the mile-and-a-quarter in 2:00.20. His performances as a three-year-old garnered him the Eclipse Award for Champion 3-year-old male and 1992 Horse of the Year. He retired to Lane’s End Farm with a record of 11-8-0-1 and career earnings totaling $2,979,815.

His success on the racetrack would translate over into the breeding shed, where he became North America’s leading sire by progeny earnings in 2003 and 2006 and produced top offspring like Bernardini (2006 champion 3-year old colt), Mineshaft (2003 champion older horse and Horse of the Year), Rags to Riches (2007 Belmont Stakes winning filly and champion 3-year-old filly) and Tempera (2001 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner and champion 2-year-old filly). Today, A.P. Indy is not only remembered as a top racehorse, but also as one of the most influential sires in the history of Thoroughbred horse racing.

“Words really can’t put into perspective what he’s meant to us.” – Bill Farish, Lane’s End Farm

Watch the video to see A.P. Indy and his bestfriend Asa Haley, who has spent almost every single day with the stallion since he entered stud at Lane’s End Farm, play their favorite game.