FAIRBANKS Headed To Northview's New PA Division In 2009

Will Be Syndicated In A New, Innovative Format

11/06/2008- Fairbanks, the son of Giant's Causeway who topped the 2004 Saratoga summer yearling sale on a bid of $1.85 million and went on to become a multiple graded stakes winner of $879,768, will enter stud in 2009 at Northview Stallion Station in Pennsylvania.

Last year at 4, Fairbanks ran a 115 Beyer speed figure when winning the Grade 3 Tokyo City Handicap at Santa Anita, a number bettered only by Eclipse Award winner Lawyer Ron among older horses running at a distance on dirt. Following that easy, nearly seven-length victory, he finished second, beaten a length and a quarter by Political Force, in the Grade I Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park in a final time of 2:00.50 for the mile and a quarter.

Fairbanks enjoyed a productive season at 5 by winning the Grade 2 Hawthorne Gold Cup and the inaugural Duke of Magenta Stakes at Saratoga in handy fashion and finishing second in the Gulfstream Park Handicap-G2 and Bill Hartack Memorial Handicap-G3.

The 16.2-1/2-hand dark bay retires with six wins and four seconds from 19 starts. Six of his seven stakes wins or placings were in graded company. In 13 starts on the main track over the past two seasons, Fairbanks recorded Beyer speed figures of 100 or higher seven times, with the other six in the 90s.

Fairbanks is a half-brother to $462,840-earner Keats, who won the Grade 2 Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, and graded stakes-placed juvenile Grand Score. They were produced by a half-sister to Darn That Alarm, winner of the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park, and Grade 2 winner Strong Performance, both graded stakes sires.

Northview will open it's new stallion division, Northview PA in Peach Bottom, in 2009. First-year sire Fairbanks is Northview PA's newest headliner.

Fairbanks will be syndicated at $30,000 per share, payable in installments, in a unique format that eliminates expenses for the life of the venture. The horse will stand for a fee of $7,500.

"Dr. Tom Bowman, who owns Northview with Richard Golden, has been a friend and associate of mine for more than 30 years," said Steve Johnson of Margaux Farm in Midway, Ky. "I trust Tom, I believe in the Pennsylvania program and I have a very good feeling that Northview will lead the way in an area that is just starting to take off.

"We had Fairbanks syndicated to stand in Kentucky, but I truly believe this move to Pennsylvania will work out better. Tom and Richard have developed successful sires in Not for Love, Polish Numbers and Two Punch. We hope they can do the same with Fairbanks."

Northview has acquired a 50 percent interest in Fairbanks from a partnership that consists of Margaux Farm, Team Valor International and the horse's breeders, James Mamakos and veterinarians Dr. Chuck Kidder and Dr. Johnny Griggs.

"We all plan to be very much involved, both in selling shares in Fairbanks, supporting him with mares and racing the offspring in Pennsylvania," Johnson noted.