Coolmore Stud

Coolmore Stud, in Fethard, County Tipperary, Ireland, is the headquarters of one of the world's largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses.

[5] Coolmore was originally a relatively small farm dedicated to general agriculture, but came into the Vigors family in 1945 when a training operation was established there.

[citation needed] Vigors went into partnership with his friend Vincent O'Brien, a leading racehorse trainer, and Robert Sangster, the Vernons pools magnate.

[citation needed] In the mid-1970s, Coolmore became very active in the American sales market, displaying particular interest in the offspring of Northern Dancer.

[6] Coolmore's first major homebred was Sadler's Wells, a son of Northern Dancer born in Kentucky at Sangster's Swettenham Stud.

[citation needed] Although the stallion operation receives the most attention, Coolmore also maintains a large broodmare band and boards mares for clients.

For example, in 2012 Coolmore paid $5 million for Untouched Talent, already the dam of grade 1 winner Bodemeister, with plans to breed her to Galileo.

For example, in May 2015 it was announced that Ashford Stud had purchased the breeding rights to American Pharoah from Ahmed Zayat in late 2014 for a reported $13.8 million.

Coolmore Australia, located near Jerrys Plains in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, is a 3,340 ha farm that has approximately 1,000 horses, including 600 mares that produce about 300 foals there during the spring.

[15] The stallion roster includes several permanent sires such as Choisir and Fastnet Rock, plus others who shuttle from the northern hemisphere on a rotating basis.