Giant's Causeway is a Kentucky

Kentucky

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...

-bred thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 racehorse

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

 who competed primarily in Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

. In 2000, he won five straight Group One

Graded stakes race

A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...

 races. His performance that year earned him European Horse of the Year

European Horse of the Year

European Horse of the Year is an award in European Thoroughbred horse racing. Since 1991 the honor has been part of the Cartier Racing Awards. It is presented annually by Cartier SA to a horse of any age racing in Europe.-Honorees:...

 honors.

In 2001, Giant's Causeway entered stud

Horse breeding

Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...

 at Coolmore Stud

Coolmore Stud

Coolmore Stud, in Fethard, South Tipperary in Ireland, is the world's largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses. It was established in 1975....

 in Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

, then the following year was sent to stand at Coolmore's Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 branch. His success led to the stallion going to Coolmore's U.S.

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 unit, Ashford Stud

Ashford Stud

Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky is the American arm of the international commercial Thoroughbred horse breeding operation Coolmore Stud of County Tipperary in the Republic of Ireland.Twelve stallions will stand at Ashford Stud in 2011....

 in Versailles, Kentucky

Versailles, Kentucky

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,511 people, 3,160 households, and 2,110 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,330 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.18% White, 8.67% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.35%...

. In 2006, he stood for a fee of $300,000; his 2007 fee is private, but likely higher. In 2008 he was mated with 2007 Belmont Stakes winner Rags to Riches

Rags to Riches (horse)

Rags to Riches is an American thoroughbred filly racehorse who in 2007 became the first filly to win the Belmont Stakes in over a century. She was sired by 1992 U.S. Horse of the Year and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee A.P. Indy, who in turn was a son of 1977 U.S...

.

Giant's Causeway is the sire of First Samurai

First Samurai

First Samurai is a thoroughbred race horse born February 2, 2003. He was a contender for the Triple Crown in 2006, but after a starting gate incident contributed to his defeat in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes he was ruled unlikely to race in the Kentucky Derby. Two weeks after the race, First...

, 2000 Guineas winner Footstepsinthesand

Footstepsinthesand

Footstepsinthesand is a retired, Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire who was bred in the United Kingdom but trained during his racing career in Ireland. He won both his races as a two-year-old in 2004 and won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on his three-year-old debut in 2005...

, 1000 Guineas and Coronation stakes winner Ghanaati, Maids Causeway, Oonagh Maccool, My Typhoon

My Typhoon

My Typhoon is an American Thoroughbred racehorse whom the NTRA calls "one of the world's best-bred horses."Bred in Ireland by David Tsui's Sunderland Holdings, she was sired by Giant's Causeway, a son of Storm Cat whose stud fee in 2006 became the highest in the world at $500,000...

, Aragorn

Aragorn (horse)

Aragorn is an Irish millionaire Thoroughbred racehorse who won major Graded stakes races in 2005 and 2006.Retired to stud, Aragorn stands in Lane's End Farm in Kentucky.-References:* *...

, Rite of Passage

Rite of Passage (horse)

Rite of Passage is a British-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the Ascot Gold Cup and being named Cartier Racing Award for European Champion Stayer in 2010. His career was unusual in the fact that he established himself as a high-class performer under National Hunt...

 Heatseeker, and Noble Causeway among others. In 2007, his son Mike Fox

Mike Fox (horse)

Mike Fox is a Canadian Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the upset winner of Canada's most prestigious race, the Queen's Plate, in 2007....

 won Canada's most prestigious horse race, the GI Queen's Plate

Queen's Plate

The Queen's Plate is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race. It is run at a distance of 1¼ miles for 3-year-old thoroughbred horses foaled in Canada. The race takes place each summer in June or July at Woodbine Racetrack, Etobicoke , Ontario...

 and Red Giant

Red Giant (horse)

Red Giant is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who in September 2008 set a world record for 1¼ miles on Turf....

 won the $1 million Virginia Derby

Virginia Derby

The Virginia Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1998 at Colonial Downs race track in New Kent County, Virginia. A Grade II event, it is raced on turf at a distance of 10 Furlongs and is open to three-year-old horses....

. His best offspring so far was from his first crop in 2004. Shamardal

Shamardal

Shamardal is a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in the United Kingdom and in France and was voted the 2004 European Champion Two-Year-Old.-Background:...

 was the European Champion Two-Year-Old Colt  that year and returned the following year to claim the Poule d'Essai des Poulains

Poule d'Essai des Poulains

The Poule d'Essai des Poulains, sometimes referred to as the French 2,000 Guineas, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts...

, the Prix du Jockey Club

Prix du Jockey Club

The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...

 and the St. James's Palace Stakes

St. James's Palace Stakes

The St. James's Palace Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....

.