Journeyman Stud Bets on Florida's Thoroughbred Future

(By Avalyn Hunter) 

In the midst of a still-uncertain market, it is refreshing to see people committing themselves to the future of Thoroughbred racing and breeding. Among them are Brent and Crystal Fernung, who are continuing to add to a promising roster of young stallions at their Journeyman Stud near Ocala, Florida. Already the home of Wildcat Heir, who is locked in a tight race with Afleet Alex for leadership of the national second-crop sire list, and Mass Media, currently second among Florida-based freshman sires, Journeyman is now the home of Awesome of Course (by Awesome Again), sire of probable champion juvenile filly Awesome Feather. Journeyman has also landed Kiss the Kid, a durable multiple grade III winner by Lemon Drop Kid.

According to Crystal Fernung, a well-defined philosophy is behind Journeyman’s stallion acquisitions. “Brent and I are looking for stallions that showed consistency and racing talent, and that beat high-quality competition. Physically, we want to see lots of bone and good balance, and we like a pedigree with a solid female family. We want to offer breeders both good value and a variety of bloodlines and physical types to suit their mares. Our goal is to get this state back to where it was in the 1970s and 1980s, when stallions like Fappiano and Nodouble were made here."

Whether the Fernungs will succeed in achieving this goal remains to be seen, but it sure looks as though they’re on the right track.