BAKKEN, British Columbia’s leading sire for the past five years, has been relocated and will stand at Steen and Cathy Reggelsen’s Stride Away Thoroughbreds for the coming 2025 season.
By the leading sire Distorted Humor, Bakken topped the BC standings in 2024 earnings and winners, with his 36 runners winning 27 races and close to one million Canadian dollars in purses. He was also responsible for the region’s leading juvenile last season in MOUNT DOOM, as well as arguably the year’s leading juvenile filly, BREEZIN BRIANNE.
Cathy Reggelsen, whose Stride Away operation stood the in-demand COUNTERFORCE until his recent move to Alberta, is delighted to welcome BAKKEN to their Armstrong, BC farm and can’t wait to get started with the prolific stallion.
She said: “We’re thrilled and honoured that Helen Klimes (owner of Klimes Farms, Bakken’s previous base) and his syndicate manager Dr. Sheila McDonald have asked us to stand him here on behalf of his owners. Helen has done such a terrific job with him. He’s in wonderful condition and we can’t wait to see him covering. He’s such a lovely horse to deal with, has a lovely kind eye and is a beautifully-balanced horse – which is not surprising when you see how many winners he gets each year!”
Bred in Kentucky by Hermitage Farm and WinStar Farm, Bakken was a $450,000 Keeneland September yearling who retired with three wins from 10 starts over three seasons. He was a runner-up in the Grade 2 True North Stakes at Belmont for trainer Chad Brown and was considered good enough to take his place in that season’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
Out of the winning Honour and Glory mare General Jeanne, Bakken is a half-brother to Grade 2 winners Chace City and Justwhistledixie, as well as Stakes-placed Dominant Jeannes. Justwhistledixie is the dam of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner New Year’s Day (now a sire in Japan) and multiple Grade 2 winner Mohaymen (currently standing at Saintsbury Farms in Ontario). Bakken’s extended family also includes Grade 2 winners Pok Ta Pok, Penny’s Reshoot, Smooth Air, and Overdriven.
Bakken will remain the property of the original syndicate, which has owned him since he was knocked down to the late R J Bennet at the 2019 Keeneland January sale for $50,000.
Bakken’s 2025 fee has been confirmed at $2,500 ($250 booking fee with the balance due on live foal). Interested breeders should contact Cathy Reggelsen at 250-546-2476 (email strideawaythoroughbreds@hotmail.com); Or Sheila McDonald 250-862-4038 (email sjm11188@icloud.com).
