Castleton Lyons

2009 Record: (43-13-4-6)

2009 Earnings: $2,613,311

2009 Win %: 30% In-The-Money %: 53%

Owner(s): Estate of Dr. Tony Ryan, Shane Ryan, President
Born: Feb. 2, 1936. Ryan died at age 71 at his estate in Ireland on Oct. 3, 2007.
Family: At the time of his death, Ryan was survived by three sons – Declan, Cathal, and Shane. Cathal owned Swordlestown Stud and Shane is the owner of Kilboy Estate, both in Ireland ... Cathal died Dec. 20, 2007, after a short battle with cancer ... Shane serves as president of Castleton Lyons
Location: Lexington, Ky.
Professional Background: At the time of his death, Ryan was listed as one of Ireland’s richest men – seventh in The Sunday Times "Rich List of 2007." ... The founder of Guinness Peat Aviation in 1975 and Ryanair in 1985, he became involved in the Thoroughbred industry in 2000 when he paid $4.7 million at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale for 1998 Yorkshire Oaks (Eng-I) winner Catchascatchcan. She was carrying eventual group 2 winner Antonius Pius at the time. The son of Danzig was sold to Coolmore for $1.5 million as a yearling and finished second in the 2004 Breeders' Cup Mile
Web site: http://www.castletonlyons.com/
Racing Background: The farm's history dates to 1793 and has been an equine breeding site throughout for several prominent owners, including U.S. Senator John Breckinridge and his heirs, who named it Castleton Farm ... It would pass through the hands of James and Foxhall Keene and Frances Dodge (daughter of auto maker and pioneer John Dodge) ... The Keenes bred or raced Hall of Famers Domino, Kingston, Ben Brush, Colin, Sysonby, Maskette and Peter Pan ... Dodge and her husband Fredrick Van Lennep transformed Castleton into a world leader in Standardbred breeding, producing six-time World Grand Champion show horse Wing Commander, several Little Brown Jug and Hambletonian winners and three Harness Horse of the Year award winners ... Ryan purchased the farm from the Van Lennep estate in 2001 and invested considerably to bring back the farm's Thoroughbred legacy
Racing Career: In 2009 Castleton Lyons has been represented by multiple Grade 1 winner Gio Ponti, currently one of America's top turf runners. Gio Ponti, who was bred by Shane Ryan's Kilboy Estate, has four grade 1 victories to his credit so far this year: the Frank E. Kilroe Mile, Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap, Man o' War Stakes, and Arlington Million Stakes. In 2007, Gio Ponti became Castleton Lyons' first Breeders' Cup starter when he competed in the Juvenile Turf. The son of Tale of the Cat finished eighth in what was the first loss of his career. The colt was offered at auction twice but failed to meet his reserve both times ... Castleton Lyons donated 5 percent of Gio Ponti's winnings from his Arlington Million purse, $29,400, to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. ... Other stars of Ryan's homebred racing stable have included multiple graded stakes winner Naissance Royale, Magic America, the 2-year-old filly champion of France for 2006, and Instrumentalist, by the farm's stallion Bernstein, who was graded stakes-placed in 2009. ... Castleton Lyons also campaigns G1-placed Laureate Conductor, by Bernstein, a $30,000 purchase as a short yearling at the 2007 January Keeneland mixed sale.
Breeding/Racing Operation: In 2004, Castleton Lyons reopened as a stud farm, and in the next three years Ryan supervised the additions of stallions such as Action This Day, Bernstein, Malibu Moon, Sir Shackleton, Toccet, and Wiseman’s Ferry ... Malibu Moon has since moved to B. Wayne Hughes' Spendthrift Farm, while Sir Shackelton and Wiseman's Ferry now stand at Dana Point Farm in Pennsylvania ... Action This Day, who won the 2003 Breeders' Cup Juvenile and was named champion 2-year-old male, was moved to Spendthrift for 2008-09. but was recently returned to Castleton Lyons when the farm secured full ownership of him. ... Bernstein is the sire of 2009 graded stakes winner Miss World, who took the G1 Garden City Stakes at Belmont. Owned by Waratah Thoroughbreds, Miss World also was bred by Kilboy Estate, and her dam, Moonstar, resides at Castleton Lyons. Miss World has a 2-year-old full sister in training with Brian Meehan in England and a weanling full brother. Gio Ponti's dam, Chipeta Springs, also resides at Castleton Lyons, and is the dam of additional graded stakes winner Bon Jovi Girl. For more information, also see bio for Kilboy Estate.

Breeders' Cup Record

Starts	1st	2nd	3rd	Earnings
1	0	0	0	$0

2007

Juvenile Turf

Gio Ponti

8th